Overview

• Aftershocks up to magnitude 4.5 continue to rattle Istanbul, with residents sleeping outdoors in fear of stronger quakes.
• More than one million buildings in Istanbul are deemed unsafe, sparking criticism over decades of inadequate disaster preparedness and corruption.
• Experts warn of a 60% probability of a magnitude 7+ earthquake within the next 30 years, with the potential to trigger a tsunami in the Sea of Marmara.
• Economic challenges and high housing costs hinder residents from relocating to safer buildings or retrofitting existing structures.
• Political tensions rise as government and opposition leaders trade blame over insufficient safety measures and stalled urban planning efforts.