Mayor says earthquakes 'greatest threat to İstanbul,' calls government for cooperation

Photos: IMM

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İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu has introduced two new "Post-Disaster Temporary Shelter Areas" as part of the precautionary measures against the expected earthquake in the city of 16 million.

At a meeting yesterday (August 17), on the anniversary of the 1999 İzmit earthquake, where more than 18,000 people lost their lives, İmamoğlu announced that the "earthquake parks" on the European (Topkapı) and Asian (Ataşehir) sides of the city have a capacity of 5,000 and 500-700 people, respectively.

Addressing citizens, İmamoğlu named the three greatest threats against İstanbul as "the earthquake, the refugee problem and Canal İstanbul."

"The '99 Marmara earthquake gave all of us very important lessons but it can't be said that we have taken lessons enough. If we still say today that 'The most important problem, the most important threat is earthquakes in İstanbul,' this is a sign that we have not been able to go far enough," he remarked.

İmamoğlu also called for joint efforts regarding the earthquake and renewal of the buildings in the city, saying that there has not been enough "institutional and social cooperation" in these matters.

"This is not a job to be done in one government term. It is not the job of only the Metropolitan Municipality or 39 district municipalities, either," he said.

"The threat is at our doorstep. We will act quickly," he added.

Also, forest areas will not be opened for zoning anymore, the mayor stressed.

Earthquake parks

The İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) announced on Saturday (August 15) that it determined 859 earthquake assembly areas in 39 districts with a capacity of 21 million in total.

A total 1,017 open and 2,662 closed temporary shelters were also determined, it said, adding that the open areas have an area of at least 10,000 square meters.

The areas were planned to meet short and medium-term needs for shelter, the IMM noted.

The earthquake parks will serve as educational and cultural centers and will be turned into temporary shelters with tents, furniture and food distribution places.

(TP/VK)