Turkish quakes among strongest ever recorded: Greek scientist

ATHENS

The quakes that hit 11 southern Turkish provinces are among the strongest ever recorded, said a prominent Greek scientist of applied geology.

“What makes them special, however, is the extent of their impact on one of the most densely populated areas of Turkey,” said Efthymis Lekkas from the University of Athens, reiterating that he, along with a team of Greek scientists, had been to the quake-struck areas.

“The extent of the damage is impressive but expected for an earthquake of this magnitude,” he told Anadolu in an exclusive interview.

When asked about the response of competent Turkish authorities to the disaster, Lekkas said immediate response and recovery actions were carried out in accordance with what was foreseen in the country’s emergency and earthquake impact management plans.

But he noted that the magnitude of the quakes and consequently severe effects compelled Türkiye to ask for help from foreign search and rescue teams, including Greece.

"This is the situation and response that any other country that would have had to deal with a leveling earthquake of such magnitude, intensity, and extent of destruction in a densely populated area could have been led to,” he said.

Reception in Türkiye

Pointing out that Greece became one of the first countries to offer help to Türkiye, he said Greek teams, of which he was a part, often worked under unfavorable physical and physiological conditions.

But Lekkas added that their professionalism and selfless work often acted as a catalyst to overcome obstacles and rescue five people and recover five unconscious people from the debris.

He said interaction between Greek teams and Turkish residents proved that people of both countries have absolutely nothing to separate.

“The Greek search and rescue mission experienced the acceptance and acknowledged the emotion on the faces of the Turkish citizens and the acceptance of the official state authorities of Türkiye who expressed their thanks and gratitude for the support and solidarity of Greece and the Greek people after the devastating earthquakes,” he said.

Lessons for Greece

Lekkas underscored that Greece drew multiple lessons on scientific and operational levels from the quakes in Türkiye.

“Following the new data from the earthquake in Turkey, which we have learned from the rescue and scientific missions in the earthquake-affected region, priorities have been set for the competent services in Greece, which essentially begin with primary and secondary inspections of all public buildings,” he said.

Moreover, Lekkas added that Greek authorities decided to intensify and boost training programs for civil protection personnel as well as the population, with an emphasis on special groups, including the elderly, disabled, students, and workers.

He said to mitigate the effects of the quakes, whether they occur in Greece, Türkiye, or elsewhere, every shareholder must take responsibility, from state authorities and metropolitan municipalities to provincial municipalities and residents.

Two 7.7- and 7.6-magnitude quakes struck numerous Turkish provinces on Feb. 6, killing more than 50,000.

Around 14 million people in Türkiye have been affected and many others in northern Syria.

Greece was among the first countries to convey its condolences and offer aid when the earthquakes struck 11 southern Turkish provinces.

Likewise, Türkiye was the first country to offer condolences and aid following a Feb. 28 train accident in northern Greece that left at least 57 people dead.