Container bazaars established to revive life in Adıyaman

Fevzi Kızılkoyun - ADIYAMAN

In the southern quake-hit province of Adıyaman, “container bazaars” have been established at several points of the city center as tradesmen whose workplaces were destroyed in the quakes are trying to provide services in containers.

In Adıyaman, one of the cities where the quakes caused the greatest destruction, the rubble of the buildings that collapsed in the city center has been completely removed.

Alongside the few empty buildings that survived the quakes, “container bazaars” have been established in the city center. Apart from containers selling street food, grocery stores, barbershops, stationery shops, clothing and glassware stores also offer services to quake survivors.

Kazım Durmaz, one of the shopkeepers, said that he has been making kebabs by the stove for 20 years, and their shop was destroyed in the earthquakes.

Stressing that they have been given their container shop in the bazaar by drawing lots, Durmaz said their pain has not subsided, as he can hardly keep himself from moving to tears while talking to the journalists.

“But on the other hand, life goes on, we are struggling for our daily bread and butter and just trying to survive. Everything has drastically changed in our lives,” he added.

Meanwhile, an exemplary work has been carried out in Adıyaman, with a container area for printed media offices established in the city for local newspapers that had to suspend their publishing lives after the Feb. 6 quakes.

Mustafa Yücekaya, owner of Adıyaman’s local Güne Bakış Newspaper, said that they printed their last daily issue on Feb. 6, due to their media office and printing house being completely destroyed in the disaster.

The newspaper, which has also lost two personnel in the devastating earthquakes, will continue its publishing life in container offices.