Fear In Turkey As Experts Predict Earthquakes

There have been an urgent need to prepare Istanbul for a major earthquake, which experts predict will happen before 2030.

Around 70% of the city’s buildings were built before stricter construction standards were enforced in 1999, making them potentially unsafe.

Since the earthquakes in the south of Turkey, there have been more than 100,000 new applications to the Istanbul municipality for building safety checks, but the waiting list for these checks continues to grow.

The city’s mayor has promised more training for rescue teams and the preparation of temporary shelters that could house up to 4.5 million people in the aftermath of a quake, but many fear it still isn’t enough.

The article also notes that Istanbul’s buildings have architectural features that weaken their structure, making them more susceptible to collapse during an earthquake.

The article suggests that the earthquake and its aftermath have become a key issue for voters, along with Turkey’s economic crisis, just two months away from important presidential and parliamentary elections.