Did Turkey's mining agency remove active fault line from maps?

The General Directorate of Mineral Research and Exploration (MTA) released a statement today regarding the allegations made by Deniz Yavuzyılmaz, a Republican People's Party (CHP), claiming that the Ovacık fault line-Munzur segment passing directly under the Anagold mine area in İliç, Erzincan, was removed from the official fault map.

On February 21, Yavuzyılmaz shared two separate maps, claiming they were obtained from the MTA website, dated 2013 and 2023. He asserted that the 2023 map, which he claimed was from the current year, had removed the Ovacık fault line-Munzur segment passing beneath Anagold in İliç.

Five days after Yavuzyılmaz's post, the MTA issued a statement, clarifying that the map shared by the CHP deputy was from 2012, not 2023, and emphasized that no mapping was done in 2023, describing the situation as "disinformation."

However, the MTA had shared the maps dated 2012 on February 13, 2023, titled "Renewed Active Fault Maps," following the earthquakes on February 6, 2023. The presence of the 2012 information in the bottom right corner of these maps caused confusion. Yavuzyılmaz shared this map, presented to the public as the "current map," as the "2023 map." The 2012 map does not include the Munzur segment. The reason why the MTA published the 2013 active fault maps, including the Munzur segment, after the earthquakes on February 6, 2023, is unknown.

"The 2023 map is not up-to-date"

Following the controversy sparked by Yavuzyılmaz's sharing and the MTA's denial, calling it "disinformation," we contacted the General Directorate of the MTA.

According to the information provided to bianet by the Deputy General Manager of MTA through his private secretary, "No fault line maps have been published since 2013. In 2023, only a numerical data map was published after the earthquake."

When we asked, "Why did you share the active fault maps from 2012 as 'current' after the earthquakes on February 6?" the response was, "Those are not 'current' maps, but numerical data maps."

Moreover, after the 'disinformation' statement, it was observed that the title of the "Renewed Active Fault Maps" on the MTA's website, dated February 13, 2023, was changed to "Active Fault Maps." (RT/VK)