ELAZIG GUNISIGI NEWSPAPER – July 2011
NOT A CAMP TENT, BUT AN EARTHQUAKE TENT
The biggest consolation from the recent earthquakes in Kütahya-Simav and Elazığ-Maden has been the absence of loss of life. There were no fatalities, and we took comfort in that, but we must not forget the citizens affected in those areas. While examining the villages in Elazığ that were impacted by the earthquake, we encountered makeshift tent villages. Seeing the tents provided by the Red Crescent was somewhat reassuring because we could feel the trust in the government.
In Sarıkamış Village, after examining the damaged minaret of the mosque, we came across buildings in the village with severe structural damage. Among these unusable and unsafe buildings, we found an elderly woman trying to continue her daily life in one of them. The first question that came to mind was whether she couldn’t get a tent. Before we could offer our help, she immediately said that the tent she was staying in was just nearby and added, "I stay in the tent at night, but I’m not homeless. I use my house during the day."
As you know, the earthquake occurred around 10:34 AM. So, it’s not certain that the earthquake will happen at night, but despite this, many families are still using their heavily damaged homes, at least partially. A home, with its roof, gives people a sense of security. It is clear that this sense of security is not felt in a tent.
In tourist areas, there are designated campgrounds where tents are set up. These areas are controlled for security, and facilities like restrooms, showers, and other amenities are carefully maintained by the campsite to ensure guests have a pleasant stay. If visitors are not satisfied, they won’t return the following year, which means the sector would suffer. However, after an earthquake, people living in tents are not on vacation but are instead out in the open on the streets.
What I can do is simply raise awareness about this issue. Scientific disciplines related to this matter could document the experience of living in tents after an earthquake and turn it into a book. Understanding the emotions of those who have lived through such experiences might make us more sensitive to earthquake preparedness and the need to rebuild safer structures.
After the earthquake in Simav, almost the entire district has been living in tents. Every day, aftershocks continue. In those tents, there are people who have lost their lives, those who have just started their lives, young people preparing for exams that will determine their future, mothers and fathers desperately doing their best for their children, and people who will carry the deep scars of these days for the rest of their lives once they recover. Understanding or at least trying to understand their feelings, desires, and struggles is something we must all do. If we can build this empathy, I believe we will immediately begin work on improving building safety without hesitation.
Our final words regarding the earthquake remain unchanged: “In societies with a high level of civilization, who have their eyes set on the future with goals and large projects, the safest places during an earthquake are their own homes.”