Page 213 - Çevre Şehir İklim İngilizce - Sayı 4

İrşade Aydoğdu Gürbüz - Banu Aslan

large part of the personnel participating in the damage assessment study
were inexperienced, insufficiently trained, and the lack of adequate criteria
and forms used in damage assessment also negatively affected the results.
Within the framework of the Damage Assessment Process, all the
components, structure and management method described in detail above,
the final damage assessment after the Kahramanmaraş earthquake was
completed in a period of about a month, considering the past earthquakes.
Bearing in mind that the earthquakes affected about 15 million people in 17
provinces and one district, and considering the 2,329,780 buildings examined,
it seems that a very well-organized and prepared damage assessment study
was carried out.

Conclusions and Suggestions
Thanks to the damage assessment studies, security measures can be taken
quickly in the damaged areas, emergency assistance and rescue activities can
be planned. In addition, by evaluating the safety of using damaged buildings,
it can be ensured that people can safely return to their homes or be directed
to temporary housing areas.
Damage assessment studies are also important for determining preventive
measures. The analyses conducted after the earthquake contribute to the safe
implementation of future construction projects thanks to the detected incorrect
applications. Based on the results of damage detection, it becomes possible
to identify buildings that require reinforcement or reconstruction. Thus, the
building stock that is more resilient to earthquakes can be established.
Consequently, post-disaster damage assessment constitutes the basis of
post-disaster recovery processes. This makes it very significant to perform
damage assessments rapidly and accurately. Currently, management of
damage assessment is carried out effectively using technology and modern
facilities.
Moreover, the data obtained from damage assessment studies provide a
great opportunity to improve the system and increase its capabilities. It is
of great importance not only for our country, but also for the whole world,
starting from our immediate geography, to make damage assessment process
even more effective and useful by benefiting from these opportunities. Each
work done for the disaster-preparedness of Türkiye is very essential in terms
of creating a society that is resilient to and prepared for disasters. We wish
to respond, in a prepared way, to such major disasters that are inevitable but
possible to take measures against.

202 The Journal of Environment, Urban and Climate