More than 24,000 people have died in Turkey ‘s earthquake last Monday. More than 4,000 people have died in neighboring Syria.
The 7.8 magnitude earthquake affected 10 cities in Turkey. Not only one-two-storied private houses were destroyed in that city, but also skyscrapers.
The government is now arresting contractors for not fully complying with the building code while constructing these high-rise buildings.
According to The New York Times, more than 100 contractors in 10 cities have been arrested.
Turkey’s Ministry of Justice has instructed provincial authorities to form an earthquake crime investigation unit.
The ministry has also asked to appoint a prosecutor to prosecute criminal cases against construction of buildings without meeting the standards.
There is widespread public outcry in Turkey that substandard buildings are the main reason why so many people died in the earthquake.
When the number of dead is increasing, the government has started arresting contractors to quell the public outrage.
CCTV Footage & Camera recorded video during earthquake:
This is the second major earthquake Turkey has experienced in the past 25 years. Earlier in 1999, a 7.6-magnitude earthquake centered near Istanbul killed nearly 18,000 people.
At that time, many houses that were built without meeting the standards were demolished.
Despite the lack of effective emergency rescue mechanisms, many people lost their lives at that time.
After current President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party came to power in 2002, the emergency rescue system was improved and more than 3 million homes were reinforced.
This year too, many houses have collapsed due to non-compliance of building standards. Turkey is in an earthquake prone area.
Much of Turkey lies on the Anatolian Plate. An earthquake in 1939 killed more than 30,000 people in Turkey.
After the earthquake that took place in Turkey, the government has taken several actions to support and provide relief to the affected communities.
In terms of the contractors who built the buildings that were destroyed, the government has launched investigations to determine if there were any lapses in building regulations or standards that may have contributed to the collapse of the buildings.
If the investigations find any evidence of wrongdoing or violations of building codes, the contractors may face legal action and penalties.
The government has also taken steps to improve building codes and regulations to ensure that future construction is safer and more resilient to earthquakes.
Additionally, the government has provided financial support to families who have lost their homes, as well as to the contractors and construction companies who are involved in rebuilding efforts.
The goal of these measures is to support the affected communities and ensure that the rebuilding process is done in a safe and responsible manner.
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