Wilfried Devillers, edited by Yanis Darras
More than ten days after the powerful earthquake that destroyed part of southeastern Turkey, residents of the town of Nurdagi must evacuate quickly. The mayor of the Turkish municipality has announced that the municipality will be completely razed and rebuilt very quickly. An announcement that took the inhabitants by surprise.
Nearly 11 days after the powerful earthquake that destroyed part of south-eastern Turkey and northern Syria, the time has come for reconstruction. So, in the Turkish city of Nurdagi, located very close to the epicenter of the earthquake, the survivors piled up their belongings and left the city. “Nurdagi is going to be 100% demolished,” the mayor announced a few days ago, causing panic among his fellow citizens. Residents must evacuate as soon as possible, and hurry to empty their apartments before their departure.
Eren throws two mattresses, blankets out his apartment window. “We’re trying to salvage as many things as possible. I know it’s risky to go back to our apartment, but we have no choice. All our memories, our whole life is here. What we want now, it’s trying to build a new life, far from here”, explains the mother at the microphone of Europe 1.
“We are no longer safe”
Impossible to stay in the buildings, which threaten to collapse. Half the city is already in ruins. A few streets away, Roumay loads his washing machine into a van. “We threw everything from the fourth floor. All our belongings are gathered. We still have to help our family to leave, but we will never come back here. We are no longer safe”, he regrets. As for those who have nowhere to go. Hundreds of tents have been temporarily set up outside the city, waiting for the city to be rebuilt in the coming months.