ELAZIG GUNISIGI NEWSPAPER – April 2011
EARTHQUAKE: 7.4
DEATH TOLL: 4
On Friday evening in northeastern Japan, a 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck again. In this earthquake, 4 people lost their lives. According to reports from the Japanese Jiji news agency, the deceased were 63, 79, 83, and 85 years old, all of whom had health problems.
This aftershock, which is said to be linked to the 9.0 magnitude earthquake that occurred on March 11, injured around 140 people and left millions of homes without electricity.
A 7.4 magnitude earthquake anywhere in Turkey would likely result in catastrophic consequences. Imagine this: a 7.4 aftershock following a 9.0 earthquake, and Japan is still enduring the consequences. The epicenter of the aftershock was in a different region, and the fact that only 4 lives were lost is striking. Of course, we wish for no loss of life, but the important point here is that a disaster capable of creating hell for us only claimed 4 lives in another country.
Amid the focus on election dates and candidate lists, this aftershock in Japan only made it to the last pages of newspapers, with just two lines of coverage. Sadly, our country's earthquake reality is not being given the attention it truly deserves by the authorities. Unless permanent and consistent steps are taken in this regard, and the current inadequate earthquake-resistant building stock is renewed, we will continue to be at risk.
This risk is not only a threat to individuals' safety but also to national security. Today, Istanbul is in the 1st-degree earthquake zone. Istanbul is the heart, the brain of Turkey—however you want to describe it, this key region is under a huge earthquake risk. Yet, despite this, the growth of Istanbul is not being curbed.
Preventing the growth of Istanbul does not mean belittling Istanbul. Of course, Istanbul is one of the important cities, not only in our country but also in the world. However, I want to draw your attention to one point: when compared to other provinces, Istanbul is significantly ahead in almost every aspect. Especially in terms of the economy, it is at the top. When we look at developed countries, we can see that power is not concentrated in a single city, but distributed across the entire country. In Europe and the United States, they have wisely distributed power and avoided concentrating it in one region.
It is unfortunate that our country does not have a policy on this matter. We are squeezed into Anatolia, which is located on three continents, and now, we are trying to squeeze ourselves into the Marmara region. Our country is a peninsula. Many port cities and economic hubs can be created. This would be a correct move both strategically and in terms of earthquake risk.
In fact, starting with the issue of earthquakes opens many sub-topics, and it is impossible for just a few people to solve earthquake-related problems. These issues will only move forward with the efforts of political will in the right areas. One of the sub-topics is urban planning.
Just as musical notes create harmonious melodies when written with a master's pen next to the treble clef, and this is considered an art, urban planning is also an art. Have you ever looked at Nailbey District from satellite images? You can notice the art in urban planning by comparing that photo with those of new neighborhoods. The layout of the plots, the straightness of the streets (although they could be wider by today’s standards) is something we haven’t been able to achieve in today’s neighborhoods.
When it rains, preventing the streets from turning into rivers is an art. It is no surprise to us anymore when a water pipe unexpectedly bursts during construction work. The maps of rainwater systems, drinking water systems, and all infrastructure for each city are the embodiment of urban planning.
It is urban planning art when appropriate routes are set aside for rail systems and metro lines in city centers before populations increase, and when multi-story parking lots replace car dumps on streets.
If we care about our future as much as we care about who will be candidates, we will reduce and solve major problems. When earthquakes occur in Turkey, may the day come soon when people no longer panic and grab their belongings in a rush to escape, but instead remain calm and prepared.