Turkey Prepares Seriously for Upcoming Earthquake

The Turkish authorities have announced a large-scale renovation of the residential stock in Istanbul, scheduled for 2024. Mehmet Ozhaseki, the head of the Ministry of Ecology and Urbanism, emphasized that the new housing will meet all seismic-resistant standards to withstand powerful earthquakes. The minister made this announcement in an interview with TV100.

Seismologists have repeatedly warned of the danger of a powerful earthquake with a magnitude of over 7 in the Istanbul area. Such an earthquake could result in the collapse of around 90,000 buildings and damage to 260,000 residential structures, potentially leaving approximately 4.5 million citizens homeless.

"I don't want to scare anyone, but the truth must be told: a potential strong earthquake in Istanbul could have serious consequences for all of Turkey. Istanbul has about 6 million homes and 1.5 million workplaces, and living in approximately 600,000 of them is considered dangerous. Therefore, we need a resettlement program," said Ozhaseki.

The minister also promised to submit a design project for approval within 10 days, so that the government can start its implementation at the beginning of next year.