Our hearts have been burning as a nation for days. It doesn't matter whether we know the people who lost their lives in the earthquake or not. Every news of death pierces our hearts like a dagger. It makes society suffer. Of course, there is nothing that can be done. We will have done our duty to the extent that we can share the pain. However, it is not possible to bring back what we have lost. I wish God's patience to all those who lost their loved ones for this.
In addition to this, another important issue is to learn from the pain experienced. In particular, from some evaluations that are repeated after each earthquake, at least on the occasion of this last earthquake, it is necessary to see our mistakes and to take steps to prevent their repetition by taking lessons.
Because after the earthquakes, “The buildings were not solid because there was no iron.” “The alluvial floor structure magnified the destruction.” Headlines such as “The columns of the collapsed building were cut off” come to the fore. However, on the one hand, the evaluations we mentioned are repeated at every opportunity, while it is expressed at every opportunity that our country is in an earthquake zone.
In other words, necessary precautions are not taken and arrangements are not made so that what has been said is not repeated. Audits that will ensure the full implementation of the regulations are not/cannot be made
Since days, I have been trying to watch news from the earthquake area on television whenever I can. However, although all the images are heartbreaking, I can't find a word to say when the 6-8-storey buildings that were destroyed in the earthquake have turned into a pile of sand. Because the buildings that have become a pile of sand are not a hundred years old.
Nowadays, a 30-40 year old building is referred to as an old building when it comes to earthquakes. As such, the fact that 25-30 years old buildings have almost turned into a heap of earth despite the fact that hundreds of years old buildings are standing, and those who are looking for people with their hands among the ruins increase the pain of people.
In this respect, we have learned as a nation that the most important thing that makes buildings resistant to earthquakes is a solid ground. Because suffering teaches people something. However, it is seen that only citizens expect what has been learned to come to life, that institutions that will closely monitor the implementation have not been established, or that they do not fully perform their duties even though they exist.
At this point, despite all the pain we are experiencing, why are things not done to monitor the durability of buildings? The answer to this question is also upsetting.
If the columns of a building were cut in order to gain another shop years later, is it very difficult to detect and prevent this situation? Beyond that, is there anyone who does not know what future dangers will be triggered by the settlement of loose soils?
So what is the point of deliberately pushing people to build on agricultural fields? I can answer all the questions I ask, but I don't find it right to discuss this in these sad days. Moreover, after each earthquake, all these questions are answered, but the result does not change.
By the way, while one side is cutting iron columns to gain a shop, I personally do not think that there is a justification for those who have to rule this country to open the loose ground for settlement.
My point is not to look for the guilty on the painful day. However, in order not to experience similar pains exponentially again, it is necessary to prevent the reduction of earthquake resistance of buildings in order to learn from our experiences and to gain income for some greedy people. Because in every society, those who run after such rent can come out, albeit a little. I think that the country where this should be the least is Turkey. Because throughout its history, this nation has been united in the face of pain and has shown by practice that pain can be reduced by sharing.