Earthquake in Turkey: Region's Worst Natural Disaster of the Century
At around 1AM on the 6th of February, a series of high-intensity earthquakes hit South-Eastern Turkey. The 7.8 and 7.5 magnitude quakes caused serious damage to the buildings located nearby, in particular the town of Gaziantep. A break occurred in the fault line that extended about 100km, which resulted in significant damage to the nearby buildings. Importantly, there has not been a major earthquake in this region of Turkey since August 1822 where an earthquake of 7.4 magnitude struck. for over 200 years. Therefore, the level of preparedness to deal with natural disasters was inadequate. In August 1999, an earthquake of magnitude 7.4 in Turkey killed 17,000 people and left more than 250,000 homeless. Despite this, the severity of the 2023 earthquake was far worse, the World Health Organisation (WHO) Director for Europe called it the region’s “worst natural disaster” in 100 years.
Scientists have been working to know the exact cause of the earthquake. Recent reports, in Turkey, suggest the Arabian plate moved Northwards and ground against the Anatolian plate that caused the earthquake. Nonetheless, teams are still working to further know the reasons for the quake. The director of the UK Centre for Observation and Modelling of Earthquakes, Volcanoes and Tectonics (COMET), Professor Tim Wright, stated that it is currently very difficult to understand the situation and therefore we must wait a few more days until the Sentinel-1A satellite provides an optimal view of Turkey.
Nevertheless, the devastating earthquake that struck Turkey has once again highlighted the importance of building standards. The earthquake caused widespread destruction and loss of life, particularly in areas where buildings were not constructed to withstand seismic activity. As search and rescue efforts continue, experts are urging for stricter enforcement of building codes and regulations to ensure that structures are built to withstand future earthquakes.
Death Toll and Rescue Efforts
The earthquake caused a huge loss of human life. As of the February 25th, there have been 50,000 reported deaths, around 44,218 in Turkey and 5,914 in Syria. Moreover, an estimate by the World Health Organisation has shown approximately 23 million people in Turkey have been badly affected by the disaster. This includes nearly 4.6 million children who have suffered a great deal as a result of the earthquake. Operations are still underway to rescue more people under the debris. Rescue workers are full of sorrow and grief as this generation has never witnessed a situation like this. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan therefore in his television speech in Ankara said:
"We are facing one of the greatest natural disasters not only in our country but also in the history of humanity.”
Amid the worsening conditions in ten highly affected provinces, President Erdogan has also imposed a three-month state of emergency.
Freezing Temperature and Earthquake Survivors
Despite the painstaking and heroic efforts of rescue workers, the suffering of those affected continues. Survivors face freezing winter conditions due to a shortage of essentials such as food and shelter. Aysan Kurt, one of the survivors, said:
“We don’t have a tent, we don’t have a heating stove, we don’t have anything. Our children are in bad shape. We are all getting wet under the rain and our kids are out in the cold. We did not die from hunger or the earthquake, but we will die freezing from the cold.”
After buildings and homes collapsed, around 1,000 people were forced to take shelter in carriages at the Osmaniye railway station. Some 380,000 have sought refuge in accommodations provided by the government.
The freezing temperature has made it difficult for rescue workers to conduct operations as some of the worst-hit areas are covered with a blanket of snow. The temperature is much colder than normal. The World Health Organisation has stated that the freezing conditions are making the catastrophe even more lethal. Therefore, the rescue operations have intensified and according to official reports, around 53,317 search and rescue personnel are working to protect people.
Additionally, the Turkish Government Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) has assigned around 100 billion liras for urgent aid and support activities. Nearly 5,000 healthcare professionals are working in the quake-hit region to provide medical assistance and around 1,000 ambulances are operating actively in the emergency zone.
Psychological traumas; new cases of PTSD
Psychological issues due to the earthquake are impacting the Turkish people heavily. Doctors from the hospital in Iskenderun, Hatay, have witnessed a surge in the number of patients reaching hospitals with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Children especially are going through a difficult time. The father of nine year old Ahmad, said:
“with any loud voice or movement, he gets scared. Sometimes when he is asleep, he wakes up and says earthquake.”
Therefore, UNICEF's makeshift centre is providing children with ‘psychological first aid,’ which aims to encourage them to play and feel safe. It will ensure that children who have been through a traumatic experience due to the earthquake can cope with the emotional and psychological impact of the disaster. The Palestinian Red Crescent is also working with local volunteers to provide services to around 300 children who are suffering from psychological trauma and depression due to the earthquake.
Infrastructure Damage and The Crackdown on Building Contractors
Key infrastructure in Turkey, including roads, apartments, railways, highways, schools, hospitals, and more, have been severely damaged as a result of the earthquake. An estimate shows a total of 24,921 buildings have already collapsed. Moreover, 1,275 km of railway lines in the Kahramanmaras region, including 446 bridges, 6161 culverts, and 175 tunnels are badly affected. Likewise, the port of Iskenderun suspended all operations after the nearby roads were damaged. It is important to note here that the durability of the buildings is a crucial factor. Structural engineer and lecturer at University College London, Yasemin Didem Aktas told CNN:
“While the earthquake and its aftershocks constituted a very powerful event that would challenge even code-compliant buildings, the scale of damage indicates that buildings didn’t meet safety standards.”
According to official reports, around 47,000 buildings were demolished by the government as they were badly damaged and became uninhabitable. Hence, a new debate has started in the state regarding the robustness of Turkish buildings and whether there is a problem with the implementation of building standard codes. In 2018, the government of Turkey admitted that more than 50% of buildings are against the building code. Therefore, in November 2022, after 2000 buildings in Turkey were destroyed by an earthquake of magnitude 6, the Minister for Environment and Urbanization, Murat Kurum, stated that the authorities are working to make every building ‘earthquake safe by 2035.’
However, this ambitious effort lacks practical implementation. This is the reason why so many buildings have been affected by the recent earthquake in Turkey. The authorities in Turkey have now started a large-scale crackdown against the building contractors who bypass regulations. Around 130 people who are reported to be involved in such illegal constructions are currently under investigation. Many of the contractors who tried to escape the state have also been arrested. Mehmet Yasar Coskun, owns several flats that collapsed in Hatay province, has been arrested by Turkish authorities as he was attempting to fly to Montenegro.
International Response
A number of states and international organisations are eager to support Turkey after the earthquake. The World Bank has pledged $1.78 billion to support recovery efforts in Turkey and to assist the government in the reconstruction of key infrastructure. The Global Red Cross is supplying food, tents, beds, and medical care to the victims. The WHO has activated its medical team’s emergency network to provide healthcare assistance to the victims of the earthquake. Aside from this, the World Food Programme (WFP) has helped around 64,000 affected people in both Syria and Turkey. The United Nations (UN) has dispersed $25 million in emergency funding to Turkey. Moreover, around 11 trucks of the UN with gas canisters, blankets, and mattresses, passed through the Syria-Turkey border crossing of Bab al-Salam.
NATO member states have also stepped in for support as a total of 1,400 emergency response personnel along with dogs and medical equipment from 20 NATO allies and partners have been sent to Turkey. Apart from this, 19 countries of the European Union have sent 27 teams for rescue operations, including 1,150 rescue members and 70 dogs. The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has also announced that a donor conference will be held in March to further support Turkey and Syria in a difficult time.
Individual nations have also extended a helping hand to Turkey. For example, the United States announced a relief package worth $85 million for victims affected not only in Turkey but also in Syria. The United Kingdom has sent 76 search and rescue specialists, a C-130 Hercules air support system, and medical teams to Turkey. Alongside this, King Charles met the volunteers from Turkey and Syria in London and launched Syria House. A temporary Syrian tent in Trafalgar Square to provide a space for members of the Syrian community to connect with each other and discover ways through which they can assist those affected by the earthquake. Russia has also deployed its 10 units of 300 people to support local workers in clearing the debris and safeguarding the victims. The government of Austria has likewise offered €3m in aid to Turkey.
Pakistan has sent a 50-member search and rescue team and 25 tonnes of relief goods to Turkey while India has sent a team of 100 people. Similarly, China has announced £4.9m for the relief effort. Qatar has also planned to send around 10,000 cabins and caravans to provide shelter for survivors of the Turkish earthquakes. The UAE has pledged $100 million for relief efforts and Saudi Arabia has sent eight planes loaded with supplies to Turkey and Syria. Bangladesh has sent a 46-member rescue team to conduct operations and provide medical support in the affected area.
Economic Impacts of the Earthquake
The earthquake is going to have long-lasting implications for the Turkish economy which is already suffering as the inflation rate has surpassed 80% and the Turkish lira has reached its recorded low against the dollar. This includes the cost of the destruction which according to an estimate is likely to exceed $84.1 billion.
The ten provinces that contribute 10% annually to the GDP of Turkey are highly affected by the earthquake, the estimated growth of 3-3.5% in the economy of Turkey in 2023 is no longer possible, instead, a loss of 2.0-2.5% is predicted. The disaster is also anticipated to heavily affect the agricultural output of the affected region, which accounts for some 15% of the country’s total.
New Challenges for President Erdogan ahead of 2023 Elections in Turkey
President Erdogan's response to the devastating earthquake that hit Turkey has sparked discussions about his handling of the situation. With many questioning whether more could have been done to alleviate the immense suffering of those impacted. Despite Turkey's previous experiences with earthquakes, the government's reaction this time has been subject to criticism.
Political factors, including Erdogan's concentration of power, have been accused of hampering the military's capacity to play a more substantial role in rescue operations. The founder of the Akut Foundation, Nasuh Mahruki, voiced his apprehension, stating:
"The potential rescue effort was now far bigger than in 1999, but with the military left out of the planning it had to wait for an order from the government. This created a delay in the start of rescue and search operations."
President Erdogan has also been accused of neglecting the implementation of building standard codes agreed upon under the 2018 amnesty programme, which ultimately led to substandard construction practices exposed during the 2023 earthquake.
The 2018 amnesty mandates that buildings in earthquake-prone areas be constructed using high-quality concrete reinforced with steel bars, and beams and columns be distributed in a manner that can effectively absorb the seismic impact. However, the considerable number of buildings that have collapsed within the affected region indicates a lack of effective implementation of the 2018 building standard codes. Although the quakes were powerful, experts suggest that appropriately constructed buildings should have been able to withstand the earthquakes. Despite being in power for a prolonged period, President Erdogan’s administration has failed to take steps to address fraudulent construction practices, thereby highlighting instances of corruption within the government.
The recent poor performance of the Disaster and Emergency Management Directorate (AFAD) of Turkey has further underscored the nepotism and inadequacies of President Erdogan’s government. The AFAD is responsible for mobilizing resources during disasters, and its failure to do so effectively has put countless lives at risk. The appointment of Ismail Palakoglu as General Manager of AFAD in 2018 by President Erdogan, primarily based on political affiliation rather than merit, has given rise to significant concerns regarding his competence. Prior to his appointment, he worked for Turkey's religious directorate, the Diyanet, which has no direct relation to disaster management.
Following the earthquake of 1999, the government instituted the collection of "earthquake taxes" with the objective of utilising the funds for disaster prevention and relief. It has raised approximately $4.6 billion since its enactment, however, there are major concerns regarding the allocation and expenditure of these funds. The leader of the opposition party CHP, Kemal Kilicdaroglu while criticizing the government’s effective utilisation of the taxes stated:
"They grease their cronies' palms with earthquake taxes. Where is that money? It's gone."
In addition, the government response to the disaster has been criticized for being ill-prepared and inefficient, with damaged roads and a lack of resources making it difficult for emergency teams to reach affected areas. Acknowledging the shortcomings in response to the disaster, President Erdogan stated:
“Although we have the largest search and rescue team in the world right now, it is a reality that search efforts are not as fast as we wanted them to be.”
To save himself from all these allegations and to secure his future political power as elections are scheduled in May 2023 in Turkey, President Erdogan has therefore announced that each affected family will receive financial aid of 10,000 Turkish liras and has also pledged to build new homes for victims. He also launched a ‘new extensive post-quake development programme’ that will require the help of the nation and other countries to recover from the earthquake. However, only time will tell whether President Erdogan will remain successful in his efforts or not.
Conclusion
To conclude, the earthquake that struck South-Eastern Turkey on 6th February 2023, was one of the worst natural disasters in the region's history. It caused widespread damage to buildings and infrastructure, resulting in a significant loss of life and psychological trauma for many. From financial aid and medical care to search and rescue teams, the global community has rallied together to help Turkey recover from this devastating natural disaster. However, the economic impacts of the earthquake are likely to be severe and long-lasting, with significant damage to infrastructure and a potential decrease in GDP growth.
It has further raised new challenges for President Erdogan ahead of the 2023 elections in Turkey due to his handling of the recent earthquake disaster. The government’s response has been criticised for being ill-prepared and inefficient, with political factors being blamed for hampering rescue efforts. The implementation of building standard codes and allocation of taxes have also come under scrutiny, exposing instances of corruption within the government. Henceforth, as the nation continues to rebuild and heal, it is hoped that the government will take this opportunity to learn from past mistakes and prioritize the safety and welfare of its citizens above all by strictly enforcing the building standard codes and regulations.