3rd anniversary of the February 6 earthquakes... 53,537 lives paid the price for 'negligence'

The February 6, 2023, earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş caused a massive disaster that affected 11 provinces in Turkey. Two major earthquakes with magnitudes of 7.7 and 7.6 in the Pazarcık and Elbistan districts of Kahramanmaraş leveled the city. A total of 53,537 people lost their lives in the earthquakes, and 107,213 were injured. The bodies of 140 people who went missing following the earthquake have still not been recovered. Three years later, the traces of the earthquake have not been erased, and many regions are still struggling to recover.

THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE EARTHQUAKE: "NEGLIGENCE"

Negligence and errors are among the primary reasons that led to the disaster. It was revealed that most of the collapsed buildings were not built in accordance with regulations and that the necessary inspections were not carried out during construction. Many construction tricks, from stealing materials to building illegal floors, increased the destructiveness of the earthquake. The errors of officials and contractors multiplied the impact of the earthquake many times over.

AID WAS DELAYED, LIVES WERE LOST

Immediately after the earthquake, citizens trapped under the rubble waited for aid to arrive. While many people lost their lives due to the cold, rescue teams could not reach the region in time. The late intervention of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) in relief efforts sparked controversy. Meanwhile, television channels in the region ignored the cries of citizens under the rubble.

THE MIGRATION OF EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS

Due to the earthquakes, a total of 2 million people were forced to leave their homes. While major destruction occurred in provinces such as Kahramanmaraş, Adana, Adıyaman, Diyarbakır, Elazığ, Gaziantep, Hatay, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye, and Şanlıurfa, the residents of these provinces were forced to migrate to other cities.

THE STRUGGLE FOR LIFE IN CONTAINER CITIES

Even though 3 years have passed, earthquake victims are still struggling to survive in container cities. 518 buildings were destroyed, but the housing problem has still not been solved. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had announced that 650,000 new homes would be built by the end of 2023. However, three years later, the wounds of the earthquake have still not healed. Earthquake victims are still homeless and battling the cold.

SLOW PROGRESS IN CONSTRUCTION

The Ministry of Environment and Urbanization announced that work in the earthquake zone needs to be accelerated. The Ministry reported that it is continuing its efforts to build 455,357 homes in 2025. Although 254,000 independent units had been completed as of 2023, the majority of earthquake victims are still facing housing needs.

CITIZENS WHOSE HOMES WERE EXPROPRIATED

Housing problems in the region led to further grievances. With a change made in 2023, the way was paved for residential areas to be declared reserve areas. A 270-hectare area in the Antakya and Defne districts of Hatay was designated as a reserve area. With this change, many citizens had their homes and land taken away from them. This situation led to a major outcry among the residents of the region.

2,380 INVESTIGATIONS OPENED AGAINST OFFICIALS

According to data from the Ministry of Justice, criminal investigations have been launched against 2,380 people regarding the February 6 earthquakes. 208 people are currently in prison as a result of these investigations. Following the earthquake, 116,696 lawsuits were filed against the state, and the vast majority of these have yet to be resolved.

News Source: 12punto