Minister of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change Murat said, “577 thousand 689 buildings (in the earthquake region) were examined. It corresponds to 2 million 665 thousand independent departments. We have determined that 56 thousand 80 buildings are ruined, will be demolished immediately, and are severely damaged.”
Minister institution, accompanied by Agriculture and Forestry Minister Vahit Kirişci at the Crisis Center at Doğan şehir State Hospital, said that they carried out coordination studies in Malatya, examined the destroyed buildings and new settlement areas, and took decisions.
Stating that the state has been working hand in hand with the nation in the whole region from the first moment with the spirit of mobilization, the Authority stated that they will place those affected by the earthquake in the promised houses as soon as possible without leaving them in the open.
Stating that temporary housing procedures are being carried out in the cities affected by the earthquake on the one hand and that they are continuing their damage assessment studies with 7 thousand 328 experts on the other hand, the Authority said, “So far, 577 thousand 689 buildings have been examined in all our provinces according to the studies carried out from the air, land and digital twins of our cities. This corresponds to 2 million 665 thousand independent departments. Of these, we have identified 56,080 buildings as ruined, to be demolished immediately and severely damaged, which corresponds to approximately 297,122 independent sections.”
Stating that they have identified 39 thousand 311 buildings consisting of 194 thousand 685 independent sections that are ruined, to be demolished and severely damaged in Malatya, the Authority stated that 48 thousand 622 independent sections in 10 thousand 233 buildings were determined as urgently to be demolished, severely damaged and destroyed.
Underlining that they have built 1 million 180 thousand houses with TOKI so far in Turkey, Minister Institution said:
“All of our residences are intact. Thanks to the two earthquakes, there are partial scratches and plaster cracks, but 1 million 180 thousand of our houses are standing tall. The transformation of 3.3 million houses in 20 years was carried out by the will and leadership of our President. With the transformation and social housing and the construction processes we have carried out together with our citizens, and with the works we have done with urban transformation, we have guaranteed the safety of the life and property of 24 million of our citizens so far. Now, just as these houses stood firm in these earthquakes, we are carrying out the biggest disaster housing campaign in the history of our Republic simultaneously in 10 provinces with the same understanding.”
Areas where new houses will be built
The Authority said that they acted jointly with some relevant ministries in the construction of new houses and decided in consultation how to build cities in the most accurate and robust areas.
Pointing out that they look at whether an area where housing will be built is suitable in terms of seismicity with a microzonation survey report, the Authority continued his words as follows:
“With this disaster, along with the existing microzonation studies and add new soil surveys, detailed studies are being carried out with geological and geophysical experts in the areas we have selected by calculating the fractures caused by this earthquake. In the provinces and district centers where the earthquake has severely damaged, our Ministry and municipalities are conducting detailed studies in harmony and we are also carrying out studies to include the necessary restrictions and floor heights. On the one hand, we are preparing new zoning plans for the reserve housing areas, and on the other hand by examining the problems and problems in the old settlements in detail. In this process, our Ministry is carrying out the work on the new zoning plan, which will include new additional flattening and will also restrict the residential areas that will restrict the floor heights, together with our Ministry and our municipalities.”
Minister Institution pointed out that when they look at the buildings that collapsed after the earthquakes in the region, they clearly see that the distance to the fault lines of the structures is not taken into account, the buildings lie on their sides or collapse due to liquefaction, and the destruction is higher in places where the ground quality is low.
Stating that they have prepared microzonation, geological survey, and detailed ground survey reports in the provinces affected by the earthquake, the Authority said, “Just as 1 million 180 thousand houses have survived, we are carrying out our work with this holistic understanding about our new houses as we have worked there.”
Debris from collapsed buildings will be used in infrastructure works
Minister of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change Murat emphasized that they moved the debris of the buildings whose search and rescue activities were completed to the areas they determined on the periphery of the city and took the necessary measures with the understanding that they would not harm the environment.
Explaining that they will install crushers in the areas where the building debris will be transported and that they will allocate the materials from the debris to the municipalities to use in the infrastructure, the Authority said, “We will use this debris in the drinking water, sewerage, and rainwater infrastructures of our villages so that they do not cause any damage to the environment in the future. We will also separate our asbestos irons. We will manage with great care everything that can be recycled other than iron.”
Reminding that relocation, goods, and rent assistance will be provided to the earthquake victims until their new houses are built, the institution said, “Just as we were one and together in the first moment of the disaster if we worked hand in hand with our citizens, we will continue to stand by our citizens with all the facilities of our state until we deliver our new houses.”
