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A prominent expert said, on Thursday, that plans to build a huge canal linking the Sea of Marara and the Black Sea would expose Istanbul to a greater risk of earthquakes.
“When there is an earthquake, there may be large landslides along the course of the Istanbul Canal,” Birgun newspaper quoted Dr. Naci Gürer, professor of geology at Istanbul Technical University, as saying during an interview with FOX TV.
Experts have repeatedly warned that Istanbul may suffer a strong earthquake in the near future, putting its population of more than 15 million at great risk.
Gurur said building another waterway to rival the Bosphorus would turn Istanbul into an island that could be isolated in the event of an earthquake.
“Why not prepare Istanbul for an earthquake and invest in the safety of these people?” Gore said. “As a scientist, I am a rebel.”
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the basic works of the 45-kilometer canal will be laid by the end of the month.
Expected to cost more than $25 billion, the project has been widely criticized by environmental groups, who say it risks irreversible damage to local ecosystems.
In March, a survey by the polling company Metropoll showed that a majority of citizens were against the plans.
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