It had been estimated that more than 600 people were crushed dead and more than 2.600 injured in a strong earthquake that rocked eastern Turkey. On October 23, 2011, the earthquake registered a magnitude of 7.2 and hit the Van province that was in close proximity to the Iranian border. USGS revealed that the epicentre of the earthquake was 16 km north-east of Van in eastern Turkey. After the main quake, approximately 1,400 aftershocks struck the region. One of the major tremors included the 5.6-magnitude quake that shook the Van province on November 9, 2011.
Turkey is subject to frequent earthquakes as it sits atop major geographical fault lines. Two earthquakes with magnitudes of more than 7 occurred in 1999, killing more than 20,000 people in the densely populated areas in the north-west territories of Turkey. The October 23, 2011 earthquake was triggered by the collision of the Arabian and Eurasian plates. The Arabian plate converges with Eurasia at a rate of 24 mm/year.
The strongest impacts of the quake were felt in Van and neighbouring towns. Serious damage and causalities were witnessed in the Celebibag district. 2,262 buildings were destroyed in the Turkish quake. Collapse of schools remain a key concern in the Turkish quakes and draws the attention of government agencies. As October 23 was a Sunday, the impacts of the Turkish quake could be more catastrophic if the earthquake were to strike on Monday morning instead. The tremors in the aftermath of the 7.2-magnitude main quake further weakened building structures, and even brought down two hotels and 16 other buildings.
One of the hotels that collapsed was Bayram Hotel, Van’s most reputable hotel that was at least 40 years old. It was one of the hotels that accommodated journalists and aid workers involved in recovery efforts following the main quake. Since the onset of the October 23 main quake, many residents had been putting up in tents despite the cold weather. This was so due to the fear of returning to their own homes.
The quake had also exposed problems such as the paucity of earthquake-safe buildings. According to the national chamber of mechanical engineers, two out of three buildings in Turkey were illegally constructed without permits or supervision. It was also revealed that of the 18 million buildings in Turkey, 40% were not earthquake safe. Such a problem was sustained by greed and incompetence among builders, coupled with corruption and the lack of supervision by the relevant authorities.
Such a problem was further aggravated by the lack of awareness among the people of the safety of their current residences. The phenomenon of people residing atop earthquake fault lines and not requesting for safety inspection could be attributed to poverty and insufficient legislation. Furthermore, fatalism is embedded within the Anatolia culture, viewing quake occurrences as an act of God and that people could not exert influences on their own lives.
Authoritarian relations between the state and citizens had caused the Turks to develop dependence on the state instead of taking initiatives for their own safety. Many Turks perceive that the state would have to come in to intervene in issues pertaining to earthquake safety. Given the inherent mindset among the people, consequences caused by quakes would remain disastrous.
References:
- http://earthquake-report.com/2011/10/25/new-insights-into-the-october-2011-van-turkey-earthquake-detailed-analysis-by-the-cedim-forensic-earthquake-analysis-group/
- http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/11/turkey-earthquake-2011-hotels_n_1088614.html
- http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2059592/Turkey-earthquake-2011-25-dead-second-quake-hits-south-Van.html
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-15425268
- http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/oct/23/earthquake-hits-eastern-turkey
- http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/03/world/middleeast/03iht-M03-TURKEY-QUAKE.html?_r=2&pagewanted=all
