Kandilli Observatory professor warns Istanbul to be hit by major quake in next 7 years with 64% chance

Prof. Dr. Doğan Kalafat, director of Kandilli Observatory’s Regional Earthquake-Tsunami Tracking Center, has said that the probability of an earthquake with a magnitude above 7.0 to hit Istanbul until the year 2030 is 64 percent.

Kalafat’s comments came as the Kahramanmaraş earthquakes prompted fresh worries about the safety of structures in Istanbul. Thousands of people died in poorly built houses in Turkey’s southeastern region following two major earthquakes on Feb. 6. As the government is vowing a fast recovery to the region, attention is also focusing on Istanbul as experts have been for years warning about a major quake to hit the megacity in the near future.