Country’s building inventory to be prepared: Minister

ISTANBUL

As part of the measures to be implemented against the earthquake risk, an inventory of all buildings throughout the country will be prepared and a digital data repository will be created to determine damage in the quake zones, Environment, Urbanism and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum has announced.

The committee formed with the participation of experts, scientists and academicians within the scope of the Türkiye National Risk Shield Model studies after the Feb. 6 quakes gathered in Istanbul for the third time.

Türkiye National Risk Shield Model studies will make the country stronger and safer in the face of a possible earthquake, Kurum said during his speech at the meeting.

Providing information regarding planned radical changes in the construction industry, Kurum stated that risk assessment studies that are being carried out in several quake-prone areas will be completed in all buildings in the country and an inventory will be prepared in which relevant information will be processed.

Kurum also pointed out that information regarding the damage in the 11 southern quake-hit provinces will be transferred to a digital data repository, adding that relevant intuitions will have access to this damage information.

Unmanned aerial and ground vehicles capable of approaching buildings and navigating inside in case of a disaster will be developed, the minister also announced.

Pointing out that all buildings in Türkiye will be subject to periodic inspections like the applications for vehicles, Kurum added that public buildings such as hospitals, schools or governor’s offices will be removed from high-risk areas.

The quake strengthening efforts will be carried out in accordance with the existing culture, art, natural and historical texture, sociology and demographic structure of the city, Kurum said.

While the establishment of infrastructure for temporary housing areas in regions with high disaster risk is also envisaged, all national gardens will be made suitable for the concepts of disaster gathering areas and temporary housing zones.

“Disaster Courses” will be included in the curriculum of secondary education, undergraduate and postgraduate education institutions.