Electricity cut off at Hatay container city as Turkish disaster agency misses payments

Yüsra Batıhan / Gazete Duvar

The local power distribution company on Jan. 2 cut off the electricity at a container city for displaced teachers and gendarmerie personnel in Turkey's southeastern Hatay province, due to outstanding bills.

The Şehit Öğretmen Necmettin Yılmaz Container City houses around 600 people affected by the Feb. 6 earthquakes. The settlement reportedly faced an outage because the Disaster and Emergency Management Agency (AFAD) did not pay the electricity bill.

Hizam Hasırcı of the Teachers’ Union (TÖBSEN), who visited the site, said all essential needs, from heating to cooking, relied on electricity. He criticized the decision, “We were informed that electricity was cut off because AFAD did not pay the bills. Authorities, who often speak of the sanctity of the teaching profession, now deny teachers even basic utilities. Cutting electricity without notification is unlawful. We reject this treatment.”

Anonymous officials and residents confirmed the allegations, noting that the electricity distribution company implemented the cut to protect itself. AFAD reportedly claimed it was unaware of the situation.

Following public backlash, electricity was restored to the container city. Authorities stipulated that meters must be installed, and subscriptions initiated by January 8.

The 7.7 and 7.8-magnitude earthquakes of Feb. 6 shook 11 provinces in Turkey's east and southeast. Hatay was the hardest-hit province in the twin tremors, with the official death toll at around 24,000. 

Currently, more than 200,000 people live in container homes at officially designated sites. These housing complexes were only meant for 3-6 months of temporary use. However, in Hatay, this period has long been exceeded. 

The residents face various challenges due to lacking infrastructure, from flooding, access to clean water, distance to schools, and sanitation.   

(English version by Ayşenaz Toptaş)