Page 202 - Çevre Şehir İklim İngilizce - Sayı 4

An Evaluation on Damage Assessment Works in
Kahramanmaraş Earthquake

As a result of these two earthquakes, in the scope of “Regulation on the
Basic Rules Related to the Impact of Disasters on Public Life” the Disaster
and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) declared the cities
Kahramanmaraş, Kilis, Diyarbakır, Adana, Osmaniye, Gaziantep, Şanlıurfa,
Adıyaman, Malatya, Hatay, Elazığ, Bingöl, Kayseri, Mardin, Tunceli, Niğde and
Batman provinces and Sivas Gürün District as a “Zone of Disaster Affecting
the Public Life”, and there have been great losses of life and property in 18
provinces. According to the data of the Ministry of the Interior, more than
50,000 lives were lost as a result of the earthquakes, which marks as one of
the largest earthquake events in history and are called the catastrophe of the
century (Regulation on the Basic Rules Related to the Impact of Disasters on
Public Life, 1968; “Ministry of the Interior”, 2023).
As it can be seen, earthquakes are the most destructive among natural
disasters and can result in great material and moral damage. Thus, the recent
earthquakes have proved and once again shown that we should live with the
reality of earthquakes. Damage assessment studies are the most important
activities following the search and rescue operations which are the acute period
at the time of an earthquake. This study aims to prepare for earthquakes that
may occur in the coming periods by considering the damage assessment
preparation processes as well as the issues that are encountered and overcome.

Legislation, Relevant Institutions and The Historical Process Regarding The
Damage Assessment Studies in Our Country

The historical development of the damage assessment process and having
a good knowledge of the provisions in the current legislation is an aspect that
absolutely needs to be addressed considering the importance of the issue.
The studies carried out to reduce the earthquake damages in our country
were started after the Erzincan earthquake on 26.12.1939, which is one of
the largest and most destructive earthquakes in our history resulting in the
loss of 32,962 lives according to official records. (Alyamac & Erdogan, 2005).
Following the earthquake, “The Law no.3773 on Buildings to be Constructed
to Those Who Suffered in Erzincan and in the Areas Affected by the Erzincan
Earthquake” of January 17, 1940 was published (Law No. 3773, 1940). With this
law, providing in-kind and cash aids to those whose houses were collapsed was
set out under the regulations. “Law No. 4623 on ‘Measures to be taken before
and after earthquakes” was published on July 22, 1944, thus the basis of the
disaster management system in Türkiye was established (Law No. 4623, 1944).
Since Law no. 4623 covers only the measures to be taken and works to be
performed before and after earthquakes; in order to determine the principles
for permanent settlement activities to be conducted after disasters“The Law

Year 2 / Issue 4 / July 2023 191