Western Turkey town that sank in '99 quake 'carries hints for us today'
Two earthquake experts dove in the sunken city of Değirmendere to draw attention to earthquakes on the anniversary of the devastating quake of August 17, 1999. Often known as the Gölcük Earthquake, the catastrophe killed over 17,000 people and injured thousands of others.
Duvar English
A professional diver and a construction engineer dove in the "sunken town" of Değirmendere that was completely submerged underwater in the devastating earthquake of August 17, 1999.
Often known as the Gölcük Earthquake, the catastrophe killed over 17,000 people and injured thousands of others, leaving behind mass destruction that changed the social and economic landscape of the district significantly.
Turkey Underwater Sports Federation's Environmental Committee Chair Tahsin Ceylan and construction engineer, architect and earthquake expert Yoshinori Moriwaki said that they dove in the area to raise awareness about earthquakes.
"Değirmendere carries hints for us today," Ceylan said.
"We need to be thinking about earthquakes not just on August 17, but everyday. That's the main difference between Turkey and Japan: They live with the constant reality of earthquakes," Ceylan said.
Moriwaki said that he's lived in Turkey since the '99 quake as he came to the country to inspect the aftereffects as an expert, and says that "Turkey doesn't seem to have learned from its experience."