The victims of the 1999 Marmara earthquake, the most devastating earthquake in the history of modern Turkey, were remembered on Aug. 17, as concerns over a potential disaster of a similar magnitude continue to mount. Istanbul had witnessed frequent 7+ tremors in its 2-milennai long history, as the Byzantine city walls attest to. Sadly, despite an earthquake tax that has been collected since 1999, successive governments have done little to educate people about safety, or improve the building stock. A disaster of 1999 magnitude today could cost the economy up to $300 bn and a devastating loss of 100K lives, several seismologists have estimated.
Speaking at the ceremony, Parliament Deputy Speaker Haydar Akar stated that the commemoration events could be spread across the country to create awareness and an earthquake center could be created under the leadership of Gölcük.
Meanwhile, 22 years after the worst seismic disaster in the country’s recent history that killed around 18,000 people and wounded 50,000, a new report reveals that at least half a million buildings could be damaged as a result of an earthquake of magnitude-7.5 that is expected to occur in Istanbul.
According to a report by the Urban Transformation Foundation (Kentsev), there are 1.16 million buildings, and 4.5 million apartments in the metropolis, and 3.3 people live in all the apartments combined.
A magnitude 7.5 or higher powerful earthquake would affect an estimated 491,000 buildings in the city, said the report, predicting that nearly 40,000 buildings in the metropolis will be severely or heavily damaged.
Considering that there is an average of 3.8 apartments in a building, the report estimates that the total number of houses that would be damaged as a result of a severe earthquake will be 1.8 million, with 6.1 million left without shelter.
Fatih, a walled district comprising the historic Istanbul peninsula, leads with 2,083 buildings in the districts where buildings are expected to be heavily damaged in the possible 7.5-magnitude earthquake.
Fatih is followed by the most densely populated districts of the city such as Küçükçekmece, Bağcılar and Bahçelievler.
Speaking to state-run Anadolu Agency, Kentsev chair Haluk Sur said the figures in question are frightening and reveal the necessity of urban transformation in the metropolis, which has a population of over 15 million.
“Especially the buildings that are expected to suffer severe damage should be evacuated immediately before facing the reality of the earthquake and action should be taken to transform these buildings,” Sur said.
Noting that resident should benefit from the incentives and supports for transformation, Sur demanded that municipalities and other relevant public institutions also take initiatives.
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