Historic and city buildings collapsed one after another… Over 40,000 people were killed or injured… A major earthquake in southeastern Turkey “the reason for the enormous damage”.

On February 6, a major earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale struck southeastern Turkey. The amount of energy is said to be 10 times that of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, and more than 10,000 buildings collapsed, including Gaziantep Castle, which was completed in the 6th century, and part of its walls collapsed. Together with neighboring Syria, the number of casualties has already exceeded 40,000. On April 7, Turkish President Erdogan declared a three-month state of emergency in order to speed up rescue and relief efforts in the affected areas.

Why has the damage been so enormous? Manabu Takahashi, a professor at Ritsumeikan University’s Center for the Study of Pacific Rim Civilizations, explains.

Many Islamic churches in Turkey are domed and have no pillars. Houses were also not adequately prepared for earthquakes. Many buildings are built of stone or brick blocks, not reinforced steel, and are vulnerable. Because the quake struck so early in the morning, just after 4:00 a.m., many of the victims would have been buried so instantly that they would have had time to wake up.”

The protracted conflict also contributed to the spread of damage. The epicenter of the quake was in a region where there are many rebel groups and conflict continues unabated. The infrastructure is still inadequate.

I have visited the area where the earthquake occurred before. There are autonomous areas for rebel groups, and I doubt if there is even an established transportation network. The unstable political situation is also hindering rescue efforts.

Rescue teams from around the world have already arrived in Turkey, but the lack of vehicles and heavy equipment is making it difficult to access the affected areas. Rescue efforts in Syria are also being hampered by bad weather and a lack of equipment.

Rescue efforts are still underway in the region. We can only hope that the people in the affected areas will be able to return to their normal, peaceful lives as soon as possible.

From the February 24, 2023 issue of FRIDAY