Elisa Buforn Peiró
Retired professor of Geophysics and Meterorology in the Department of Earth Physics and Astrophysics at the Complutense University of Madrid.
The 6 February earthquake, with a magnitude Mw=7.8, occurred at a plate boundary. That’s where the accumulation of stresses resulting from the movement of the plates is released in the form of earthquakes. The magnitude of the Turkey earthquake and its shallow centre, about 17 km according to the U.S. Geological Survey, suggest a high potential for destruction.
Earthquakes are natural events that cannot be predicted or avoided, so the key is prevention in order to mitigate and minimise damage as much as possible. Seismic-resistant codes or standards, together with Early Earthquake Warning Systems (EEWS), are two of the most effective tools for dealing with these natural events, and that’s where society's efforts should be directed.