Can anyone hear me? Supply chain risks and cross-cutting impacts in the context of earthquakes

Official URL: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2026.107134

Natural disasters, such as earthquakes, cause distinct and often severe risks to companies’ operations and supply chains. This study examines these risks in the context of the devastating February 2023 earthquakes in Türkiye (measuring 7.7 Mw and 7.6 Mw). Empirical data were collected from 23 companies in the textile, food and beverage, and automotive sectors, representing companies across different supply chain tiers. Regarding direct supply chain risks, while well-established categories such as supplier and logistics risks and customer-related risks were observed, our findings emphasize the critical yet less recognized role of supply chain competence risks. Additionally, our results reveal that indirect risks, which are less recognized, can have far-reaching and often cascading effects. For indirect supply chain risks, we identify two newly emerging sub-dimensions: emotional and behavioral risks and humanitarian aid provided by companies. This research highlights the diverse fields, such as psychology (emotional and behavioral risks), civil engineering (building damage), and policy (political instability and governmental risks), that can indirectly disturb supply chains. This study also identifies cross-cutting risks in supply chains that span multiple categories, highlighting the interactions between different risk categories and leading to expanded effects. This study contributes to safety science by demonstrating the need to go beyond traditional supply chain risk categorizations to effectively assess and manage earthquake-specific supply chain risks, particularly in the context of a country with a developing economy.