Arrest warrants have been issued in Turkey in response to the devastating earthquake that killed more than 34,000 people across the shared border with Syria last Monday.
The BBC writes that a total of 113 warrants were issued to individuals within the country, reportedly including architects, engineers, and building contractors, over their supposed role in constructing the more than 25,000 buildings which failed or were damaged during the magnitude 7.8 tremor and subsequent aftershocks.
The country’s Vice President, Fuat Oktay, also announced the establishment of ten special investigative units spread throughout Turkey’s most impacted provinces. The punitive process comes after years of so-called amnesties for contractors that were granted, in some cases, to provide for housing construction in waves and most recently before the 2018 general election.
In an essay for the Sunday Times, journalist Kaya Genç described the fallout from the systemic corruption that belies the leadership of the country’s building and construction industry under President Recep Erdoğan. Likewise, the Associated Press has a report on the consequences for Syria’s built environment following also the destruction of its long civil war.
Most buildings that fell #Turkey #earthquake had “SOFT STORY” at ground level usually for Parking. This is very common in #India and they call it Stilts, where the entire building is standing on columns. And this is where the design fails in an earthquake. Solution: “Shear Walls” pic.twitter.com/axKv91mDHh
— Tony Ashai (@tonyashai) February 7, 2023
At least 12 people have been confirmed to be arrested in Turkey thus far as search and rescue efforts for survivors are still ongoing.
A list of global aid resources can be found here.
3 Comments
How about upgrade the building codes to something newer and not something about as antiquated as the Code of Hammurabi.... like perhaps begin adopting a code based on the I-codes from the International Code Council.
No more "soft stories" or stilt construction unless it's engineered to survive a 9.0+ earthquake with peak acceleration of 2.0G (MCEr) -- 0.2-sec. spectral response acceleration, and 1.0G (MCEr) at 1-sec. spectral response acceleration. The soft stories or stilts aren't braced or stout enough or otherwise designed and engineered to handle seismic force. Earthquakes might not be common in the area but there can be strong earthquakes on nearly 8.0 magnitude.
Ricky, have they caught you yet? Blink twice if you need us to call for help.
Block this user
Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?
Archinect
This is your first comment on Archinect. Your comment will be visible once approved.