'Earthquake survivors need containers, not tents' 

2020-02-26 10:20:46


	VAN- TMMOB Van Provincial Coordination Board Spokesperson İsmet Bilmez, who examined the earthquake-hit neighborhoods in Başkale, pointed out the seasonal conditions and said that containers should be sent to the region instead of tents.

	Term Spokesperson İsmet Bilmez, who was on the delegation of the Turkish Provincial Coordination Board of the Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB), who made investigations in the neighborhoods of Başkale district of Van, where the loss of life and property had occured due to the earthquake of 5.9 magnitude  in Xoy city of Iran on February 23. Drawing attention to the weather conditions, he said that containers should be sent to the region instead of tents.

	 

	Expressing that a delegation of architects and engineers in TMMOB Provincial Coordination Board visited the neighborhoods of Gelenler, Özpınar and Begendik, which were hit by the earthquake the other day, Bilmez said, "Only a few houses that are left uncollapsed, are out of condition. 95% of the buildings were demolished.  And 96% of the building material used in the neighbordhood are consisted of adobe."

	 

	'TENTS ARE NOT SUITABLE FOR SEASONAL CONDITIONS'

	 

	Stating that the housing needs of the earthquake survivors have not yet been met, Bilmez stated that the tents distributed were not suitable for the seasonal conditions. Bilmez emphasized that the first thing to do is to send containers to the region instead of tents. "For instance, the other day, 20-30 tents were distributed in the village of 120 houses. We also saw the trucks with tents waiting on the road and we contacted the AFAD team. They informed us that the tents were to be distributed. Another problem is that the snow melts as the weather warms and this causes serious mud on the ground. This is an important point, because the wetter it gets, the more it feels cold. Containers need to be distributed to these people as the first thing to do. Those tents are not suitable for winter conditions. These are the regions that sees minus degree at night. The authorities should meet the peoples' needs of warming, shelter, food and drink immediately. Many citizens here can not go back to their houses. They told us they were sleeping outside."

	 

	'WEATHER CONDITIONS AFFECT'

	 

	Pointing out the snowfall in the region this year, Bilmez explained the effect of the earthquake as follows: "In such small earthquakes, one of the reasons for the collapse of the buildings is because the region receives a lot of snow. Structures that drew a lot of water may collapse in a small concussion."