## 2 Tectonic Overview and Seismic Hazard in Eastern Turkiye
### Plate Interactions and Regional Geodynamics  
The collision zone of three major plates, namely the Anatolian plate, the Arabian plate, and the Eurasian plate, is where Turkiye is situated. [PERSON] [25] and [PERSON] et al. [26] posited that the seismic activity observed in Turkiye can be elucidated by analyzing the relative movements of the African, Eurasian, and Arabian tectonic plates. The westward motion of 16 mm per year and the collision between the Arabian and Anatolian plates give rise to two prominent strike-slip fault systems: the North Anatolian Fault (NAF) and the East Anatolian Fault (EAF) [27]. While the East Anatolian Fault (EAF) has a left-lateral strike-slip motion running from the northeast toward the southeast, the North Anatolian Fault (NAF) is a right-lateral strike-slip system oriented generally west to east. The EAF defines the tectonic border between the Anatolian and Arabian plates. [PERSON] et al. 's [28] recent geological research suggests that the EAF, running northeast-southwest, spans around 550 km, from Karlova in the east to the Mediterranean shore in the southwest. Academic studies agree that geometric complexity, including step-overs and fault bends, shapes many distinct segments making up the EAF. While [PERSON] et al. [29] found six separate segments within the fault zone, [PERSON] and [PERSON] [30] first suggested a five-segment model. [PERSON] and [PERSON] [31] subsequently classified this into 14 subsegments. [PERSON] and [PERSON] [32] suggested the most thorough segmentation by splitting the EAF into three major branches: the southern main branch, the northern branch, and the Karasu graben. Among them, the southern major branch stretches from Karlova to Antakya, spanning roughly 580 km, and contains significant subsegments such as Karlova, Ilica, Palu, Puturge, Erkenek, Pazarck, and Amanos. Major historical earthquakes' epicentral sites are shown in Figure 2, along with the segmentation method. While certain segments of the EAF display relatively well-documented slip rates derived from paleoseismological trench investigations and GPS data [33; 34], adjacent strands may reveal subtle or elusive indicators of ongoing deformation. This scenario complicates the endeavor to accurately estimate recurrence intervals for moderate-to-large seismic events. For example, paleoseismic evidence might indicate multiple occurrences on a particular segment within a condensed timeframe, whereas another segment of similar length may remain inactive, thereby implying fluctuations in local stress regimes and the coupling of segments. Such discrepancies highlight the fact that hazard evaluations predicated solely on the historical data of a single fault segment may lead to an underestimation of the comprehensive seismic risk. Furthermore, the tectonic complexities present in eastern Turkiye are intensified by the local compressional and extensional regimes that are superimposed upon the dominant strike-slip framework. In areas where the EAF intersects or interacts with other regional geological formations, such as the Bitlis-Zagros Suture Zone or the NAF in proximity to Karlova, local fault configurations may evolve from pure strike-slip to transgressional or transstensional regimes. As a result, the coexistence of diverse deformation mechanisms within a relatively confined geographical area significantly enhances the intricacy of seismic hazards. The damage patterns seen in URM structures are strongly related to the tectonic features of the area. Defining most of the seismic activity in eastern Turkiye, the EAF is mostly a left-lateral strike-slip fault with limited transgressional portions, especially close to structural bends or step-overs [34]. These transgressional zones produce notable vertical and horizontal ground accelerations, which increase out-of-plane stresses on URM walls.