Builders and contractors are accused of failing to comply with safety regulations implemented after the 1999 earthquake
More than 100 people were arrested in Turkey accused of contributing to the deaths of victims of the earthquakes that hit the country on Monday (6.Feb.2023). Turkish authorities were directed by the Ministry of Justice to bring criminal charges against builders and contractors responsible for the collapse of the buildings. The information is from the American newspaper New York Times.
The targets are accused of failing to comply with existing safety regulations, implemented after an earthquake in Turkish territory in 1999. In all, investigations were opened in 10 provinces.
Among those arrested is Mehmet Ertan Akay, builder of a complex that collapsed in the city of Gaziantep, and Mehmet Yasar Coskun, builder of a 12-story building that was completely destroyed in Hatay province.
Another 2 builders, who traveled to Cyprus shortly after the earthquake, are in detention. They were responsible for the construction of a 14-story building that collapsed.
An estimated 27,249 people died as a result of the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria. Another 85,297 were injured.
Earthquakes in Turkey and Syria also became the 2nd deadliest event in the region in decades. It surpassed the deaths recorded in the earthquake in 1999, when about 17,000 people died. The tragedy is the 7th deadliest natural disaster of this century.
To help victims of earthquakes, Turkey Armenia reopened its borders after 35 years. This Saturday (11.Feb.2023), 5 trucks crossed the passage to send humanitarian aid.
MORE INTENSE EARTHQUAKES
You monday tremors (Feb 6) were the strongest recorded in Turkey since 1939, when the country had an earthquake measuring 7.8 degrees on the Richter scale in the city of Erzincan, in the east of the country. About 30,000 people died on that occasion.
The sequence of earthquakes hit central Turkey and northwest Syria. The epicenter was in the Turkish region of Gaziantep. At the site, the tremors were also 7.8 on the Richter scale. The 2nd largest earthquake in the country occurred in Kahramanmaras – it reached 7.5 magnitude.
The sites are on the so-called Anatolian fault. It is on this fault that 3 tectonic plates meet: Anatolian, African and Arabian. The result of movement or shock between these rocky plates in the earth’s crust results in an earthquake.
The technician in seismology at the Seismology Center at USP (University of São Paulo) José Roberto Barbosa said, in an interview with Power360that energy released by earthquakes was equivalent to the impact of 160 to 180 atomic bombs that hit the city of Hiroshima, Japan, during World War II.
Governments and international organizations sent rescue teams and doctors to help Turkey and Syria. O Brazil is among those who provided assistance. International leaders and authorities mourned the losses caused by the natural disaster.
Watch the rescue operations carried out on Tuesday (Feb 7) (6min53s):
The President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, declared on Tuesday (7.feb) state of emergency for 3 months in 10 provinces. The representative stated that the measure aims to speed up operations for searching and rescuing victims. “The severity of the earthquake disaster we are experiencing makes it imperative to implement extraordinary measures”said Erdogan.
O Turkish leader stated on Wednesday (8.feb) that there were problems with the initial response from your government. He also stated that the government will carry out works to rebuild the destroyed buildings, including residential buildings, with the assistance of AFAD (Turkey Disaster and Emergency Monitoring Agency). “This is a moment of union, solidarity”he said.
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