Relationship between Earthquake Damage Patterns Observed in Doğanşehir (Malatya) and Local Fault Geometry and Soil Conditions

This study presents a detailed case analysis of the seismotectonic and ground-based causes of destruction in the Doğanşehir (Malatya) district following the February 6, 2023, Pazarcık (Mw: 7.7) and Elbistan (Mw: 7.6) earthquakes. Located close to the East Anatolian Fault Zone and at the intersection of the Sürgü, Malatya, and Doğanşehir faults, the district sustained severe damage to more than 7,500 buildings. The analysis is based on field observations, official damage data, geological maps, and aftershock distributions. The findings indicate that the neighborhoods with the highest damage rates (Polat: 93.11%; Doğu: 66.0%) were located on rocky ground (Polat Granitoid), rather than on alluvial ground, contrary to expectations. This observation highlights that the primary factor determining damage severity can be the absolute proximity to the ruptured Doğanşehir Fault (near-fault effect), rather than the ground condition itself. The high damage in Yenimahalle and Karşıyaka, located on alluvial ground, is associated with stress concentrations occurring at the intersection of the Malatya and Sürgü Faults. This case study demonstrates that a single factor cannot explain the destruction; a combination of local fault rupture, fault proximity, fault intersection effects, and structural vulnerabilities played a combined role. The results underscore the critical importance of detailed mapping of local faults, identification of fault-exclusion zones, and microzonation studies for earthquake risk management in comparable tectonic settings.