JEDDAH: Ankara’s mayor blamed Monday’s earthquake, which hit western Turkey and the Greek islands, on foreign powers’ aim to undermine the country’s economy.
In a series of tweets, Ibrahim Melih Gökçek said that this is not the first time Turkey is being targeted by “man-made” earthquakes.
“Now I think that this might be a man-made earthquake. I do not say it is certain but it is a very serious possibility,” Gökçek tweeted.
ŞİMDİ BU DEPREMİN SUNÎ BİR DEPREM OLABİLECEĞİNİ DÜŞÜNÜYORUM.
BEN MUTLAKA BÖYLEDİR DEMİYORUM...
ANCAK CİDDİ BİR İHTİMALDİR,— İbrahim Melih Gökçek (@06melihgokcek) June 12, 2017
“I say that it should definitely be investigated. Was there any seismic research ship sailing near the epicenter? If so, which country does it belong to?” he said.
MUTLAKA ARAŞTIRILMALI DİYORUM..
DEPREM MERKEZI CİVARINDA SEYREDEN SİSMİK ARAŞTIRMA GEMİSİ VARMIYDI...
VARSA GEMİ HANGİ ÜLKEYE AİT?— İbrahim Melih Gökçek (@06melihgokcek) June 12, 2017
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.2 damaged scores of homes on the eastern Greek island of Lesbos Monday, injuring at least 10 people. It was also felt in western Turkey, including in Istanbul, and on neighboring islands.
The mayor later shared YouTube videos explaining the High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP), urging people to watch carefully.
BİR DE VAN DEPREMİ HAKKINDAKİ BU VİDEOYU DİKKATLE İZLEYİN...https://t.co/KMCdLnk8yj
— İbrahim Melih Gökçek (@06melihgokcek) June 12, 2017
Gökçek previously claimed that quakes in the western province of Canakkale could have been caused by dark external powers.
“Today a serious earthquake occurred in Çanakkale. I have investigated and there is a ship conducting seismic research nearby," the Mayor tweeted in Febuary.
ÇANAKKALE DE BUGÜN CİDDİ BİR DEPREM OLDU...
ARAŞTIRDIM...
CİVARDA SİSMİK ARAŞTIRMA YAPAN BİR GEMİ VARMIŞ..— İbrahim Melih Gökçek (@06melihgokcek) February 7, 2017
"What this ship is researching and which country it belongs to should be solved urgently."
BU GEMİNİN NE ARAŞTIRDIĞI VE HANGİ ÜLKEYE AİT OLDUĞU ACİLEN ÇÖZÜLMELİ...
— İbrahim Melih Gökçek (@06melihgokcek) February 7, 2017
"I worry about a potential earthquake that could be triggered artificially. This should definitely be investigated and announced to the public,” he said.
BEN KİM NE DERSE DESİN OLASI BİR DEPREMİN SUNÎ OLARAK YAPILACAĞINDAN CİDDİ ENDİŞE TAŞIYORUM
MUTLAKA ARAŞTIRMALI VE KAMU OYUNA AÇIKLANMALI— İbrahim Melih Gökçek (@06melihgokcek) February 7, 2017
According to Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management, the epicenter of Monday’s undersea earthquake was at a shallow depth of 7 km.
At least 25 aftershocks have been recorded following the initial quake at 3:28 p.m. (1228 GMT).
The earthquake was also felt in densely populated Istanbul and the western Turkish province of Izmir, but no injuries were reported there.
Earthquakes are frequent in Greece and Turkey, which are on active fault lines. Two devastating earthquakes hit northwestern Turkey in 1999, killing about 18,000 people. Experts in both countries said more aftershocks are to be expected from Monday’s earthquake.
