Earthquake in Turkey: three weeks later, what is the assessment of the natural disaster?


Remy Trieau, edited by Loane Nader
modified to

09:09, February 27, 2023

The double earthquake that killed at least 44,000 people generated a great movement of solidarity in Turkey, where now, rescue missions give way to cleaning up material damage. Three weeks later, what is the situation on site for the victims who have lost their homes?

Three weeks ago to the day, a double earthquake destroyed part of the Turkish-Syrian border and caused the loss of 44,000 people, according to the latest estimates. The terrible natural disaster has also destroyed cities which sometimes, for lack of being salvageable, must be completely razed to be rebuilt. More than 150,000 buildings have therefore been razed, while Turkey has still not finished reporting on the extent of the damage.

Two million refugees

According to the Turkish authorities, nearly two million people have taken refuge outside the cities and provinces devastated by the earthquake. The city of Antioch leaves no hope for returning to live there, as the damage is so important, and can now be described as a ghost town. Between the ruins, there are only patrols of soldiers and last inhabitants who are unable to leave the place. For the time being, these survivors are living in tents or in cars, in very precarious conditions.

Faced with this humanitarian disaster, a great movement of solidarity was born in Turkey where citizens collect funds to compensate for the shortcomings of the State. Not all the bodies were found after the disastrous event and the survivors feel aggrieved. Indeed, the government of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is coming out very weakened by the disastrous event and hopes to rebuild the affected regions as quickly as possible, ideally by 2024, with a view to a possible new mandate of the president, scheduled for next spring.



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