Istanbul: Readying for a major earthquake | DW Documentary

Many experts believe that Istanbul will soon be hit by a major earthquake — potentially one of the most devastating natural disasters in recent history. It’s only a matter of time. Istanbul is located directly on the North Anatolian Fault, between two tectonic plates. These move apart by two to three centimeters a year, over a length of 1,200 kilometers. This is why severe earthquakes in the region are a regular occurrence. A quake in Istanbul itself is only a matter of time and will affect millions of people. An earthquake with a predicted magnitude of 6 to 7 on the Richter scale would devastate the city. Actress and filmmaker Nisan Arikan witnessed a severe quake in the region when she was nine years old. Together with geophysicist Patricia Martinez-Garzon, who researches the earthquake risk in Istanbul, she sets out to find solutions. How can the city’s 16 million residents prepare for a worst-case scenario?