ELAZIG GUNISIGI NEWSPAPER - August 2010
DATE: 11 AUGUST 2004
LOCATION: "SİVRİCE"
This year, Ramadan begins in all its beauty on August 11. Today is a day full of joy, enthusiasm, faith, cooperation, and solidarity. However, 6 years ago, on August 11, 2004, this very same date was filled with fear, sorrow, anxiety, and pain. Not forgetting these days is the only way to avoid suffering in the future. On the evening of August 11, 2004, we experienced a 5.3 magnitude earthquake, with its epicenter in Sivrice. The 149 aftershocks, ranging between magnitudes of 2.0 to 4.5, which continued for days, further increased the discomfort among our citizens. Although the earthquake's magnitude was low and its duration short, preventing a greater disaster, there were still injuries and significant damage to many structures.
The Eastern Anatolia Region is located on one of the world's most important seismic zones, the Alp-Himalayan Earthquake Belt, and remains seismically active. The region has experienced several significant earthquakes, such as the ones in Pülümür (Tunceli) on January 27, 2003, Bingöl on May 1, 2003, Sivrice on August 11, 2004, Sivrice again in February 2007, and Başyurt-Karakoçan on March 8, 2010. The high seismic activity of the Sivrice region is particularly notable.
While no earthquake of magnitude 6.0 or greater has occurred within the boundaries of Elazığ, and we hope it never does, there is a need to do more than just wish for safety. Even in relatively smaller earthquakes, we have experienced significant loss of life. There needs to be a focused effort on preventing such losses in the future. It is crucial to accurately assess the scale of the problem. Earthquakes do not only affect the province where they occur; they also impact neighboring regions. Therefore, because we are situated on a risky earthquake belt, we are always at risk of facing a potential earthquake.
The risk of earthquakes affects urban areas differently from rural ones. Our cities are growing every day. If unchecked, the stock of buildings with inadequate earthquake resistance will continue to increase, leading to a growing risk and greater danger. We saw the effects of the Başyurt-Karakoçan Earthquake in March 2010, where the villages were devastated. Hence, immediate and lasting solutions must be found for urban planning and construction, and quick steps must be taken.
The political agenda of the country is temporary, and individuals may come and go in positions of power. However, the services rendered are lasting. It is the nation that determines these services. Therefore, we must prioritize the issue of earthquakes in our personal agendas for the future. When a topic becomes part of the national agenda, it will inevitably prompt authorities to take action. If we, as the people of Elazığ, forget August 11, 2004, February 9-21, 2007, and March 8, 2010, and fail to make the earthquake issue a priority in our future, it will not be on the agenda of the authorities either, just as it isn't today.
With hopes of fully experiencing the beautiful season of Ramadan...