Earthquake victims to be honored

VAN - Hürriyet Daily News

Sebahattin Yılmaz (L) and Cem Emir (R) died in Van quake.

Municipal authorities in Van have announced plans to name several streets in the city after the two Doğan news agency reporters and a Japanese doctor who lost their lives during a 5.6-magnitude earthquake in the province last month.

During the meeting, which was held in a tent due to damages to the original building, the council members accepted a proposal on naming three streets in the city after reporters Sebahattin Yılmaz and Cem Emir, as well as Japanese health worker Atsushi Miyazaki, all of whom died in the 5.6-aftershock on Nov. 9.

The two reporters and Miyazaki were all staying in the Bayram Hotel, which collapsed in the temblor, killing 20. The hotel had suffered damage in an initial earthquake on Oct. 23 that killed over 600.
Meanwhile, Van Mayor Bekir Kaya from the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) said his administration had prepared a report which proposes declaring Van a “disaster area.”

“Our daily income has been lowered due to the earthquake. We would like this issue to be resolved,” Kaya said.