The deadly earthquakes that jolted the Türkiye’s south were much more destructive than the tremors of similar magnitude in other countries as the settlements were established in the wrong places of the region, a quake expert has said.

“The satellite images reveal that the quakes have not damaged the houses in the areas located even a little near to the fault lines, or in the hilly areas,” Cenk Yaltırak, a professor from Istanbul Technical University’s (İTÜ) Geology Deparment, told Hürriyet Daily News, pointing out that the settlement areas in the region were chosen incorrectly.

Recalling the 2016 earthquake in New Zealand’s Kaikoura town with a magnitude of 7.8 that killed two people and left 57 others injured, Yaltırak said, “The earthquakes on Feb. 6 were not unprecedented in magnitude.”

Stating that he examined the fault ruptures in Hatay’s Kırıkhan district after the earthquakes, Yaltırak said there are many factors behind the destruction, from high-rise buildings to their spread over the land, and criticized the granting of construction permits to areas that do not meet the requirements.

The reconstruction in the region should not be done in the same way, he warned, informing that the possibility of an earthquake of similar magnitude continues in the extension of the same fault in Syria.

The expert also argued that the population of Istanbul should be limited to 10 million as a precaution against the expected earthquake in Marmara.

“Industrialists and factories in the region should no longer be given incentives and tax exemptions,” Yaltırak said. “Entrepreneurs from Anatolia should develop their own cities.”

The megacity with 15.9 million residents that last suffered heavy damage from earthquakes in 1999 is on edge, according to the repeated warnings by experts about the expected quake with a magnitude of 7.0 or higher.

Source : Hürriyet Daily News

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The World Bank announced Thursday it would provide $1.78 billion in aid to Türkiye to help with relief and recovery efforts after massive earthquakes hit the southern region this week.

Just hours apart on Monday, the 7.7 and 7.6 magnitude earthquakes devastated cities and towns across a vast swathe of southern Türkiye and severely hit northwest Syria.

Turkish officials on Thursday evening said over 17,670 people had been killed and more than 72,870 injured across 10 southeastern provinces hit hardest by the disaster.

“On behalf of the World Bank Group, we express our deepest condolences to the people of Türkiye and Syria for the great loss you have suffered due to the devastating earthquakes,” said World Bank Group President David Malpass.

The assistance aims to help relief and recovery efforts that have inflicted significant damages in and around southern Türkiye, the lender said in a statement.

“We are providing immediate assistance and preparing a rapid assessment of the urgent and massive needs on the ground,” Malpass said.

“This will identify priority areas for the country’s recovery and reconstruction as we prepare operations to support those needs,” he added.

The World Bank said that $780 million would become available for Ankara immediately, as the funds will be diverted from two existing World Bank loan projects in Türkiye.

“The assistance will be used for rebuilding basic infrastructure at the municipal level,” the Washington-based development lender added.

Another $1 billion in assistance is also being prepared but will take more time to arrange. It will support people affected amid recovery and reconstruction from the catastrophe.

Türkiye’s needs are “immense and span the whole range from relief to reconstruction,” said Humberto Lopez, World Bank Country Director for Türkiye.

While the World Bank’s partnership with Türkiye dates back to 1950, it is a significant partner in disaster risk management, urban development, and energy efficiency in the country.

The World Bank said its Türkiye program currently has 30 active lending operations worth $9 billion.

Source : Daily Sabah

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