Buildings resembling ‘Leaning Tower of Pisa’ in Turkey’s Rize stir fear

RİZE – Demirören News Agency

Four buildings built 30 years ago in the Black Sea province of Rize have stirred fear among locals after they began leaning downwards due to unstable foundation, with many residents likening it to the “Leaning Tower of Pisa” in Italy.

People living in the apartments in the buildings tried to strengthen the leaning structures with iron poles.

While the slope in the buildings increased every passing day, a gap between two buildings widened further.

A technical examination was made by the Directorate of Environment and Urbanization and the Chamber of Civil Engineers of Rize upon complaints.

The directorate’s teams asked the flat owners to make the risk assessments of the buildings that have been detected to have slid by around 6 percent.

As part of the urban transformation project, no steps have yet been taken regarding the buildings whose demolition was on the agenda.

Explaining that the slope outside the buildings could be felt inside the houses, Hatice Haberal, a resident, said that some of the doors and windows in the apartments did not close completely and some did not open at all.

“When you leave a ball in one of the flats, the ball goes in the direction of the slope without stopping. Our houses are trapezoid shaped; it becomes clear from outside,” she added.

There are a total of 96 apartments in the four buildings found to be inclined.

Landslides and floods are commonplace in Rize, which frequently experiences rain every year.