DORMANT, NOT EXTINCT
Türkiye's volcanoes have shown signs of activity in the past. Prof. Dr. Ersoy gives examples of past volcanic eruptions, stating, "Hasan Mountain, Erciyes, Ararat, Nemrut, Süphan, and Tendürek are the most well-known volcanoes in Türkiye. For example, when Hasan Mountain erupted in 6200 BC, people living in Hattusa depicted the event on their walls. Ararat erupted around 2,500 years ago, Tendürek 2,000 years ago, and Erciyes between 1441 and 1597 AD."
While there has been no recent activity, this does not mean the volcanoes are extinct. "Türkiye's volcanoes are not extinct; they are simply dormant. They have erupted in the past, but there is no critical situation at the moment. However, keeping them under observation would be beneficial," Prof. Dr. Ersoy concludes.
VOLCANIC ACTIVITY TRIGGERED BY EARTHQUAKES?
One of the most debated topics is whether dormant volcanoes could become active again in the event of an earthquake. Prof. Dr. Ersoy reassures that Türkiye's volcanoes are unlikely to be triggered by earthquakes. However, he draws attention to the South Aegean region's volcanoes, stating, "Greece has six volcanoes in the South Aegean. If major earthquakes occur in this region, both tsunamis and volcanic activity could be triggered."
He provides examples of how this could indirectly affect Türkiye: "When Mount Vesuvius erupted in Italy in 79 AD, its ash reached Istanbul. Similarly, when a volcano erupted in Iceland in 2010, 100,000 flights were canceled worldwide, as planes risked crashing if they flew through the volcanic ash cloud."
