Geographical analysis of Malatya Doğanşehir district after the 6 February Kahramanmaraş (Pazarcık, Elbistan) earthquakes

The earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş on February 6, 2023, caused significant devastation across a large area in southeastern Turkey, marking a major historical disaster. Particularly, the districts of Pazarcık and Elbistan in Kahramanmaraş, as well as various districts in Malatya, suffered severe damage; settlement areas were largely destroyed, infrastructure systems were severely impacted, and there was significant loss of life. In this context, the district of Doğanşehir in Malatya was deeply affected by the earthquake, resulting in significant changes in the region's geographic, social, and economic structures. Alongside the destruction, important impacts were observed in population mobility, land use changes, and economic structures. This study focuses on examining the geographic changes in Doğanşehir following the February 6, 2023 earthquakes. The aim of the study is to analyze in detail the effects of the earthquake on topography, infrastructure, settlement patterns, demographic structures, and socio-economic conditions. Additionally, the study seeks to determine the long-term effects of the disaster on the natural environment (soil composition, water systems, land use) and settlements (population mobility, housing policies, changes in settlement patterns) and evaluate the intervention strategies developed by local authorities in response. Keywords: February 6 Earthquakes, Doğanşehir, Geographic Analysis..