What is the reason for earthquake in Turkey? Turkey is one of the world’s most active earthquake zones because it is located on the Anatolian plate, which is being squeezed westward by the northward collision of two tectonic plates — the Arabian and Eurasian. As these plates move past each other, they get stuck at their edges due to friction and pressure builds up. When the pressure is finally released, an earthquake occurs, triggering waves of energy that cause the ground to shake. Earthquake shaking causes horizontal and vertical motion that can lead to deformations in beams, columns and other structural elements in buildings. The degradation of the integrity of these structural elements can ultimately lead to collapse. Cabas said modern building codes in many countries provide the necessary guidance to design earthquake-resistant structures, from appropriately representing the seismic hazard to designing protocols that ensure ductility of the structures.