Dear Disaster Diary,
We cannot stop natural disasters but we can arm ourselves with knowledge: so many lives wouldn't have to be lost if there was enough disaster preparedness.
In the realm of resilience and preparedness for earthquakes, Japan has secured a gold medal, showcasing a standard that the world should aspire to emulate.
The nation, with its frequent seismic activity, has diligently invested in creating some of the most resilient buildings globally.
Through a combination of strategic investment, government mandates, and a deeply ingrained engineering culture attuned to seismic risks, Japan has managed to drastically reduce the death toll even in the face of devastating earthquakes.
The recent seismic event (7,6) on New Year`s Day resulted in 125 losses (as of Saturday,the 6th), a testament to Japan's commendable disaster preparedness.
On the flip side of this resilience coin is Turkey, another prominent G20 country, where 13 months ago, the stark reality of insufficient earthquake preparedness came to light.
The earthquakes that struck the convergence point of the Anatolian Plate, Arabian Plate, and African Plate in February 2023 left a trail of destruction. With a magnitude of 7.8 and 7.7, these quakes claimed the lives of at least 50,783 in Turkey and 8,476 in Northern Syria, with over 125,000 reported injuries.
Shockingly, figures for missing persons were never provided, leaving families in agonizing uncertainty.
Turkey, having implemented building regulations post the 1999 Istanbul earthquake, found itself grappling with partial compliance. While earthquake-prone areas mandated the use of high-quality reinforced concrete supported by steel beams, load-bearing columns, and diagonal beams, the effectiveness of these measures was compromised.
Construction approvals required assessments from structural engineers and earthquake experts, and mandatory earthquake insurance, along with an earthquake tax for disaster relief, were introduced.
Unfortunately, a quest to cut costs and anticipation of building amnesties led to the circumvention of regulations. The 2018 building amnesty legalized 300,000 illegally erected structures in disaster-prone regions, a move that proved detrimental to disaster resilience.
The aftermath of the 2023 earthquakes saw the Turkish government facing accusations of lax enforcement, ignoring warnings, and a lack of preparedness.
Aid, though reaching major cities, failed to reach rural areas for weeks, leading to a social media outcry and government investigations for incitement in response to the mounting criticisms.
The sharp contrast between Japan's gold standard and Turkey's tragedy underscores the critical importance of robust infrastructure, strict adherence to regulations, and effective crisis management in mitigating the impact of natural disasters.
It serves as a call to action for nations worldwide to prioritize and invest in comprehensive disaster preparedness measures, learning from the successes and shortcomings of others to ensure the safety and well-being of their citizens in the face of the unpredictable forces of nature.
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