After the strongest earthquake in the south-east of Turkey, there was a rumor that it is not safe to live and buy property in the country. At the same time, the territory of Turkey is vast, and earthquakes do not happen everywhere. We decided to tell you where are the safe regions in Turkey.
Faults
Three geological fault lines pass through the territory of the country: North Anatolian, East Anatolian and West Anatolian. The closer to the fault zone, the greater the degree of seismic hazard.
Turkey is mostly located on the Anatolian Plate. Its boundaries are:
- on the west near Izmir
- on the northern part – near Bursa and Ankara
- on the east – near Erzurum
- on the southeast – near Gazintep.
The fault also passes through the territory of Syria and the island of Cyprus. The North Anatolian fault line extends beyond the plate borders and affects the area near Istanbul.
It is impossible to predict where the plate will move next time. The last serious earthquake occurred in 1939, which means that the next one can happen after 80-100 years.
Seismically safe zones
But some regions of the country are located quite far from the faults. The earthquake map shows that tremors are not recorded there. Even with strong earthquakes, only minor echoes reach this part of the country, the sources are located at significant distances
The safe zone is, for example, the middle of the central part and almost the entire Mediterranean coast of Turkey. It is where Antalya, Alanya and Mersin are located. Here you can rest, buy real estate and live without fear.
Investments in real estate
There are many factors to consider when buying a home. Even if the area is seismically safe, it is important that the building was built with high quality and in compliance with all technologies.
Make sure to check with the builder. A reliable construction company uses quality materials and builds houses according to standards. Since 2000, the Turkish government has introduced special technical requirements for projects that make buildings more sustainable. After the earthquake on February 6, 2023, the regulatory authorities will more closely monitor compliance with all rules when building new homes.
Housing in Turkey will continue to be in demand. But because of the threat of new earthquakes, some wealthy families will want to move from potentially dangerous regions to a safer zone. Therefore, more attention will be directed to Antalya, Alanya and Mersin. Investors should take a closer look at the developing areas on the Mediterranean coast before the hype starts there.
If you have any questions, Mayalanya staff will be happy to assist you. We all live permanently in Alanya, and would not advise this area if we were not sure about safety.
