Volcanic Risk Alert in Turkey: Call for Disaster Plans in 14 Provinces

Gas Emissions Detected in Active Volcanic Areas Republican People's Party (CHP) Niğde Deputy Ömer Fethi Gürer emphasized during a press conference at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey that the country faces active volcanic risks in addition to its well-known earthquake reality.
Citing data from the General Directorate of Mineral Research and Exploration (MTA), Gürer stated that gas emissions have been detected at 20 different points around Mount Hasan and Mount Erciyes, stressing that these developments must be closely monitored.
Strategic Facilities and Impact Zone Warnings Gürer addressed the potential impact of volcanic activity on natural gas storage facilities built around Lake Tuz (Tuz Gölü), highlighting debates over safety distances.
While authorities consider the 64-kilometer distance between the facility and the mountain sufficient, Gürer noted that some scientific evaluations suggest an eruption's impact could cover an area of 100 kilometers.
He further noted that the Ecemiş and Tuz Gölü fault lines in the region increase the risk of seismic activity, making integrated disaster planning a necessity.
Call to Update Risk Plans for 14 Provinces Arguing that the Provincial Risk Reduction Plan (İRAP) prepared under the coordination of the Niğde Governor's Office does not sufficiently address volcanic hazards, Gürer called for a review of risk plans in provinces including Aksaray, Kayseri, Nevşehir, Konya, Kars, Bitlis, Ağrı, Van, Isparta, Manisa, and Diyarbakır.
Emphasizing that disaster management should shift from post-crisis intervention to a risk-oriented structure, Gürer called for real-time monitoring of active volcanoes and research into the effects of gas emissions on agriculture and human health.