Turkiye has a very interesting geographical location. It is mostly located on the Anatolian plate, and surrounded by four other plates. Therefore it is not unusual to feel an earthquake in Turkiye. My experience with an earthquake was in Istanbul was in the classroom. The building was shaking for quite some seconds. Most of the earthquakes are not dangerous. Most important is, preparing for an earthquake

The Reality of Earthquakes in Turkiye

In the picture above you can see the map with all the five plates. This map shows the very deadly earthquake in Turkiye and Syria in 2023. Because of the movements of the plates, earthquakes happen regularly. In Turkiye every day some activity is registrated, and the same goes for Istanbul. However most of these activities you cannot feel. Multiple times every year there will be an earthquake that can be felt in Istanbul and the Marmara area. Most times not causing any damages, but preperation is still necessary.

The Preperation

The most important for you, as a student, is to make sure you will stay in a safe building. Ask about the age of the building and about earthquake safety. There are many buildings in Istanbul that are not safe enough for very bad earthquakes, but try to find a place that feels safe.

Another important thing is, make sure that you know what you have to do in case of an earhtquake. Do some research, know the Golden rule: Drop, Cover, Hold method, know safe places within your building, like a strong wall or underneath a strong table.

Living in Istanbul is not so dangerous, and you should not be too worried about an earthquake. You should just be prepared and concious about this risk in Istanbul. Enjoy Istanbul, because it is an amazing city.

For official registrations of earthquakes you can visit the following government website (AFAD), on this website most likely will also be information whenever an earthquake disaster happens: https://deprem.afad.gov.tr/event-detail/551596

How you will prepare for an earthquake? And is this something that you are scared for? What is your ultimate tip? Let me know in the comments!