A series of earthquakes shook southern Turkey on Sunday, triggering concern across Adana and Osmaniye and pushing prominent earthquake expert Övgün Ahmet Ercan into Google's trending searches.
According to Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority, AFAD, a magnitude 4.8 earthquake struck the Saimbeyli district of Adana at 2:19 p.m.
Just 17 minutes later, another earthquake measuring 4.9 struck the same district.
Then, at 2:43 p.m., a stronger magnitude 5.2 earthquake was recorded in the Sumbas district of neighboring Osmaniye.
Further seismic activity followed.
AFAD subsequently recorded additional earthquakes measuring 4.4 and 4.3 in Saimbeyli, extending a sequence that continued for several hours.
The earthquakes were also felt in surrounding provinces including Gaziantep, Kilis, Hatay, Mersin and Kahramanmaraş.
The unusual sequence prompted Prof. Dr. Övgün Ahmet Ercan to describe the activity as an "earthquake storm."
Speaking to Halk TV, Ercan said the first earthquake initially appeared consistent with an aftershock, but the subsequent 4.9 and 5.2 events changed his assessment.
Ercan said that a larger earthquake would not necessarily be surprising given the seismic tension in the region. Crucially, however, he stressed that scientists cannot currently predict whether a larger earthquake will occur.
That distinction is important as anxiety spreads among residents.
Another prominent geologist, Prof. Dr. Naci Görür, said the earthquakes occurred along the East Anatolian Fault system and linked the continuing regional seismic activity to the effects of the devastating February 6, 2023 earthquakes.
Ercan has called for closer monitoring of the region, including increased seismic and geophysical observation by AFAD and universities.
Despite the repeated shaking, there were no initial reports of serious damage or casualties.
Adana Governor Mustafa Yavuz said emergency teams had been deployed following the earthquakes and that authorities had received no negative emergency reports. Later on Sunday, officials said field inspections in both Adana and Osmaniye had found no significant problems.
Public attention is now focused on what happens next.
Google Trends showed more than 2,000 searches for Övgün Ahmet Ercan within hours, with interest rising again Sunday evening as additional tremors and his comments spread across Turkish media.
For residents of southern Turkey, the continuing earthquakes are an unsettling reminder of the region's seismic vulnerability.
Scientists are watching the sequence closely, but there is currently no scientific basis for claiming that a major earthquake is imminent.
