Abdulkadir Özkan: "Living with the earthquake"

Abdulkadir Özkan: "Living with the earthquake"
Date: 7.2.2023 14:00

Milli Gazete columnist Abdulkadir Özkan writes on earthquake. Here is the full article.

email Print zoom+ zoom-
I met the first earthquake when I was about 2 years old. After the earthquake, my grandparents asked, “What happened, son?” to find out the effect of the earthquake on me. they ask, and I would try to explain the earthquake by shaking my head.
 
In short, I was born at the end of 1942 and met with the earthquake in 1944. This first meeting was not the last; repeated from time to time. After each earthquake, the discussion of what could be done for a while came to the agenda, and after a while it was left to be forgotten.
 
After the earthquakes, the most talked and emphasized thing was that the buildings should be tested for durability, that the unhealthy ones should be demolished and refurbished, but some steps were taken for a while, some buildings were also transformed, but this work could not be done as much as necessary, the destruction caused by the earthquake continues.
 
Almost every earthquake has left orphans and orphans behind, and great suffering has been experienced, but for some reason, we have not been able to fully implement the earthquake-related transformation projects. Let me point out right away; This is not being able to put it, of course not because it was not wanted to put it.
 
For some reason, after a while, I get confused. A Turkey-wide transformation may be financially difficult, but I don't think it's impossible. Because it is not necessary for a long time for the recurrence of earthquakes in our country. We are experiencing earthquakes at short intervals. Finally, the earthquake that took place yesterday reminded us of the pain we experienced in the past. Because the earthquake in 10 provinces centered in Kahramanmaraş caused great destruction.
 
In the statements made at around 13.30 yesterday, it was stated that the number of people who lost their lives was close to a thousand and the injured were around 2 thousand 500. I wish God's mercy on all those who lost their lives, patience and condolences to their relatives.
 
At this point, after each earthquake, earthquake maps come to the fore. While it is said thousands of times that buildings should not be built on loose soils, for some reason, agricultural areas on flat and loose ground are opened to settlement, while the fields are destroyed, the destruction is higher in case of earthquakes and because of the shrinkage in agricultural lands, agriculture is over the world. Although we are one of the 7 countries that are self-sufficient in terms of their products, we now import more or less every agricultural product.
 
By the way, at the beginning of the most frequently repeated advice about earthquakes is that we should get used to living with earthquakes. Our country is located in an earthquake zone. However, the answer to how we will live with the earthquake is not given. Because at that time, all efforts and practices must be put into practice for the realization of the settlement within the framework of the earthquake map determined in Turkey. To say that we have to learn to live with earthquakes without attention just makes people feel complacent.
 
Let me point out right away; The last earthquake must have frightened the society a little more. Because yesterday, new earthquake news came from different cities all day long. Meanwhile, earthquakes began to occur in our cities that were not affected by the first earthquake. In other words, while trying to live with an earthquake, it should not be forgotten that it is not easy to get used to an earthquake.

YEREL HABERLER

Milli Gazete Puplication Group All Rights Reserved © 2000-2016 - Can not be published without permission ! Tel : +90 212 697 1000  /  Fax : +90 212 697 1000 Software Development and System Support: Milli Gazete