600,000 flats would collapse in major earthquake in Istanbul, says minister

Duvar English

Turkish Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Minister Mehmet Özhaseki on Aug. 2 stated that 600,000 flats would collapse in Istanbul in an earthquake with a magnitude above 7, state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

Özhaseki said in a live broadcast on A Haber that they want to pass a special law from the Parliament for Istanbul regarding the possible earthquake and added, “I am thinking of calling the Parliament to hold an extraordinary meeting and launching discussion on new laws regarding Istanbul's urban transformation and earthquake preparedness.”

Özhaseki said that they have determined reserve areas in Istanbul on the one hand, that they will build about 300,000-350,000 houses in these areas, and on the other hand, they plan to allocate the reserve areas around Kanal Istanbul, which has three active fault lines on its route, for earthquake victims.

Kanal Istanbul is a canal project which aims to connect the Black Sea north of Istanbul to the Marmara Sea to the south. Experts say it will wreak environmental havoc and pollute freshwater resources around the city of 18 million people and the settlements around it would suffer from the earthquake severely.

Özhaseki said, "The number of flats that can collpase in the first place is around 600,000 in an earthquake with a magnitude of 7 and above (in Istanbul). Imagine that two buildings collapsing on each street, transportation stops instantly. Infrastructure also collapses, natural gas cannot not be supplied. If that happens, Istanbul will turn into a huge prison.”

Experts have been waiting for a major earthquake with a magnitude above 7 to hit Istanbul in the near future. The long-awaited earthquake is expected to create massive material devastation in the city, and experts often note that the construction in the metropolis is unlikely to be prepared for the quake.