Liquefaction Risk and Land Use Analysis Based on Geographic Information Systems (GIS): Siverek Example 

The importance of urban planning in reducing disaster risks becomes more evident after every major disaster. Many urban planning processes in Turkey are prepared without sufficient consideration of natural disaster risks; this situation causes serious loss of life and property after disasters. The most recent example of this situation is the earthquakes that occurred on February 6, 2023, As a result of the disaster, more than 53,000 people lost their lives and significant economic losses, especially housing, were experienced. centered in Kahramanmaraş, and affected eleven provinces. Siverek district of Şanlıurfa was also economically affected by these earthquakes, and within the scope of the study, the possible effects of soil liquefaction on land use decisions in Siverek city center and its immediate surroundings were analyzed with the Analytical Hierarchy Method using Geographic Information Systems. In the study, the groundwater level was determined by taking into account criteria such as geomorphology, land use, lithology, slope, soil, drainage density and precipitation, and critical areas in terms of ground liquefaction risk were identified. The aim of the research is to evaluate the susceptibility of Siverek's urban development, land use and construction processes to liquefaction-induced earthquake risk and to present scientific and applicable recommendations to reduce possible damages. In this context, the groundwater analysis map of Siverek district was superimposed with the 1/1000 scale zoning plan and the areas were divided into very high, high, medium, low and very low risk groups; planning proposals were developed for high risk areas.