after the deadly earthquakes, faults in the construction sector called into question

“Obviously most destruction is the result of human error.” According to the Turkish seismologist OvgUn Ahmet Ercan, questioned by the Guardian*, it is easy to identify the causes of the terrible toll of the two powerful earthquakes that struck Turkey and Syria in early February. The earthquakes have left more than 41,000 dead and thousands missing, local authorities announced on Thursday (February 16th). Most of the victims found themselves trapped in the rubble of buildings that collapsed in on themselves.

>> Earthquakes in Turkey and Syria: how to explain that some survivors lasted several days under the rubble

In southeastern Turkey, heavily bereaved, the magnitude of the tremors is not enough to explain such a level of destruction. “Our researchers, engineers, seismographers have learned from past earthquakes. We created new construction standards, they were flouted”denounces the father of a missing person, met by The world in Antakya. Here, a gigantic luxury residence built in 2013 has collapsed. The promoters had nevertheless praised its anti-seismic performance.

Located in an area with significant seismic activity, Turkey applies “a regulation similar to that of Europe and France”deciphers Patrick Coulombel, co-founder of the NGO Architectes de l’urgence. “This involves strict standards in the design and construction of buildings, so that they are reinforced”, he explains to franceinfo. In theory, these rules prevent the most serious damage. Even in the event of magnitude 7.8, as in the first earthquake that hit the country. “This does not mean that the buildings will not suffer any damage in the event of a strong earthquake. The objective is to prevent them from collapsing completely, and therefore to save lives”, says Mustafa Erdik, seismologist engineer and professor emeritus at Bosphorus University in Istanbul.

On February 6, thousands of buildings were however victims of a “slump in pancakes”which occurs when the load-bearing structures (walls, columns, beams, etc.) give way and the floors collapse on top of each other. “This type of collapse, which leaves little chance of finding survivors, is the direct consequence of non-compliance with seismic standards”judge Mustafa Erdik.

Irregularities and corruption in the construction sector

The current regulations in Turkey date back to 2018. “Old structures do not conform to it obviously notunderlines the architect Patrick Coulombel. However, post-construction reinforcement work on buildings is complex and costly. Most of the buildings destroyed by the two earthquakes date from before 1999, reports The Economist*. But recent residences have also collapsed, notes the American magazine. How to explain it?

“Buildings would need to be analyzed on a case-by-case basis. But on such technical subjects, errors in the quality of the concrete, in the design, in the geometry of the buildings can have serious consequences.”

Patrick Coulombel, co-founder of Emergency Architects

at franceinfo

“There is a glaring lack of training for engineers who draw up building plans”, says Mustafa Erdik. For this seismologist, this “inexperience” proves to be particularly problematic when the sites are carried out in a manner “rushed”. “To save time, some contractors skip steps, such as planning the layout of the steel in the reinforced concrete”he laments to franceinfo.

These irregularities reveal the corruption that plagues the construction sector, pointed out by residents and experts. “Everyone is involved”says an urban planner at The Economistreferring to permits granted by local authorities in exchange for bribes. “Until 2019, builders could themselves choose the company responsible for monitoring compliance with standards on their sites. This gave rise, in some cases, to small arrangements”adds Mustafa Erdik.

Rules inherited from the 1999 earthquake ignored

These promoters are now at the center of suspicion. A dozen people working in the construction sector, accused of bad practices, were arrested on Saturday February 11. The day before, a builder, about to flee the country, had already been arrested at Istanbul airport. In total, the Ministry of Justice announced the opening of 134 investigations and almost as many arrest warrants.

But the anger of the population is also aimed at power. Under the presidency of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey experienced a boom in real estate construction, recalls The Economist. Incidentally, some rules put in place after the 1999 earthquake, which killed 17,000 people, have been ignored. Most of the assembly areas created in response to this tragedy have thus been transformed into shopping centers or residential buildings, revealed NPR* radio in 2017.

Many also wonder about the future of the “earthquake tax”. Set up after the 1999 disaster, it was to be used to develop emergency services and the resilience of the communication system in the event of a new shock, explains the BBC*. But the government has never detailed how it had used the more than 4 billion euros brought in by this tax over the past twenty years.

At the same time, thousands of amnesties have been granted for constructions that are illegal or do not respect the regulations since 1984. Instead of being destroyed, these dwellings have been regularized, in return for registration fees. After the last wave of authorizations in 2018, the president of the Civil Engineering Chamber had nevertheless warned about this policy “dangerous”raise it Guardian*. “It will turn our cities (…) into cemeteries”he warned.

“Learning lessons” from this disaster

While many other localities in the province of Hatay are devastated today, Erzin, a city of 42,000 inhabitants, is a miracle. “NOTWe had no deaths, no injuries, no significant destruction”the mayor, Okkes Elmasoglu, told Euronews (link in Turkish). For the elected official, the explanation is simple: the municipality “did not authorize no building” not complying with seismic standards, he says. Buildings that are too tall are also prohibited, reports a Turkish journalist on Twitter.

Around Erzin, however, the chances of finding survivors dwindle. “He will be important to identify and prosecute those responsible for this disaster. But above all, it will be essential to learn from these earthquakes”, believes Mustafa Erdik. In particular, he pleads for better monitoring of compliance with the standards imposed on builders, and for the strengthening of old buildings that are too vulnerable.

If such measures had been put in place before February 6, “the human toll would have been much lower”abounds the seismologist Hakan Suleyman, questioned by the Guardian*. “The earthquakes of recent days have highlighted the need for reform, concludes this expert. But the real issue will be the government’s ability to enforce regulations and build safer structures in the future.”

* Links marked with asterisks refer to content in English.