First Field Exercise of the European Earthquake Geology Task Force (EuQuaGe) performed in Türkiye on the surface rupture of 06 February 2023 Elbistan (Kahramanmaraş) Earthquake
In order to advance the understanding of earthquakes and thus improve the estimates of related hazards, it is essential to systematically collect superficial coseismic geological data as soon as possible in the struck area. Identification and characterization of coseismic surface effects may contribute to the estimation of damage and loss data on the environment and thus may help emergency response activities. However, governmental and academic institutions in countries struck by extreme events such as earthquakes are often overwhelmed by the emergency. Some recent cases have revealed that the benefit from international cooperation in field response is vital and that it is important to trigger an external support in order to increase the local response capacity. This statement is pushing the earthquake geologists of the European community towards a larger and well-organized collaboration. For instance, in the recent past, European researchers built such collaborative field work, collecting co-seismic data following the 2016 Central Italy and 2020 Croatia earthquakes and making them available publicly.
The encouraging outcomes of these most recent experiences galvanized European earthquake geologists to propose the creation of the European Earthquake Geology Task Force (EuQuaGe) as a pilot project for structured cooperation.
The EuQuaGe is a volunteer organization of Earth scientists from European governmental and academic institutions for rapid, effective, and coordinated assistance to national scientific organizations. The goal of the EuQuaGe is to acquire detailed field observations of the earthquake(s) effects on the natural environment using a standardized methodology and shared tools in order to promote the implementation of a worldwide harmonized catalog. By 2023, the EuQuaGe initiative will involve up to 36 Scientific Institutions (Universities, Research Centers and Geological Surveys) from 18 European Countries.
EuQuaGe successfully performed its first exercise in the provinces of Malatya and Kahramanmaraş, Türkiye between 22-29 October 2023. Following a coordination meeting held at AFAD Malatya Emergency Management Center, a total of twenty researchers from four different countries, including Türkiye, Italy, France and Portugal, made detailed observations on the co-seismic ruptures caused by the Mw 7.6 Elbistan (Kahramanmaraş) Earthquake on 06 February 2023. The six days in the field allowed us to share a common working methodology to collect coseismic structural data, together with drone images, and to discuss the task force operation mode, before, during and after the surveys.
The following eight institutions contributed to the exercise:
- Disaster and Emergency Management Authority of Türkiye (AFAD - Türkiye)1
- Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV-Italy)2
- National Laboratory of Energy and Geology (LNEG – Portugal) 3
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche - Istituto di Geologia Ambientale e Geoingegneria (CNR/IGAG-Italy) 4
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN – France) 5
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche - Istituto di Geoscienze e Georisorse (CNR/IGG – Italy) 6
- Servizio Geologico d’Italia - Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA – Italy) 7
- Centro InterRUniversitario per l’Analisi Sismo Tettonica tridimensionale con applicazioni territoriali (CRUST- Italy) 8
Following the institutionalization of EuQuaGe, a more robust synergy and spirit of cooperation between European institutions studying earthquake geology will be achieved and contributions to disaster and emergency management activities will be provided.