Earthquake: Why did so many buildings collapse in Turkey?
The sight of even newly constructed buildings collapsing in the earthquake in Turkey has sparked outrage in the country. Was the intensity of the earthquake so high that even new buildings could not withstand its force? Or was the construction of the building careless? To find answers to these questions, the BBC has investigated three new buildings that have turned into rubble. Two major earthquakes of magnitude 7.8 and later 7.5 killed thousands of people in southern Turkey and northern Syria, razing almost all buildings to the ground. These include newly built apartment blocks, which have been reduced to rubble, raising questions about the building's safety standards.
Most of the buildings that collapsed in last Monday's (February 6) strong earthquake were built in the last few years. Public anger has arisen due to the collapse of these newly constructed buildings in the earthquake. Allegations have been raised that proper laws were not followed during the construction of these buildings.
The BBC has scrutinized the allegations of collapse of recently constructed buildings. Most of these allegations were found to be true.
A building was completed last year in the city of Malatya. The construction company of the building said in an advertisement that the building has been constructed with the best quality raw materials. And the government's new law regarding earthquakes has been followed during the construction.
After the building collapsed in the earthquake, the advertisements came up again. Many are publishing them on the internet. However, the advertisements are no longer on the website of the building's construction company.
Photos of another collapsed high-rise building in the Turkish city of Iskenderun have gone viral on the internet. According to photos released by the construction company, the building was completed in 2019. The BBC contacted the organization to talk about it. But no response was received from them.
The magnitude 7.8 earthquake hit the border region between Turkey and Syria early Monday morning. Although earthquakes of this magnitude are very strong. However, experts say, if the buildings were built maintaining standards, then they should have survived even after this earthquake.
David Alexander, Professor of Emergency Planning and Management at University College London, UK, said, 'The intensity of this earthquake was extensive. However, if the construction was done properly, so many buildings would not have collapsed.
Failure to enforce building laws
In 2018, stricter laws were enacted in Turkey. Earlier in 1999, a strong earthquake hit the city of Izmit in the northwestern part of the country. At that time 17 thousand people lost their lives. Following the incident, building safety policies were tightened.
Professor David Alexander said that the existing buildings in Turkey were not built with quality raw materials. And currently the buildings that are being constructed are not obeying the law.
Why the failure to enforce the law?
In Turkey, builders can be 'forgiven' by paying a certain amount of fines if they do not comply with the required safety regulations during construction. The Turkish government has been providing this opportunity since 1960.
Experts had warned in advance that such a pardon could cause a major disaster in the country.
The Istanbul head of Turkey's Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects' Chamber of City Planners, Pelin Pinar Giritlioglu, said that about 75,000 buildings in areas affected by Monday's earthquake in southern Turkey were covered by the amnesty.
Days before the disaster, Turkish media reported that a new draft law was awaiting approval in parliament. If it is approved, the old buildings as well as the recently constructed buildings will also get amnesty after construction without following the rules.
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