Erdoğan vows to settle all earthquake victims in containers

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has pledged swift relief for earthquake victims, announcing plans to relocate those still in facilities or tents to containers by Aug. 15, while unveiling a comprehensive initiative to bolster earthquake preparedness through the transformation of 6.5 million homes across Türkiye.

"We will rebuild our quake-hit cities in a more magnificent, more resilient and more spacious manner with all their infrastructures and superstructures alike," Erdoğan stated, addressing a groundbreaking ceremony in Kahramanmaraş via videoconference on Aug. 10.

The president highlighted the government's track record in urban transformation, having erected 3.3 million residences across the country, providing homes for approximately 20 million individuals.

The new initiative aims to accelerate this process, targeting the transformation of an additional 6.5 million residences. "Our goal is to make our cities both beautiful and better prepared for earthquakes," Erdoğan affirmed.

Regarding the provision of immediate shelter, Erdoğan announced that 178,350 containers have been established in 325 container cities following the devastating earthquakes on Feb. 6. He assured that the remaining individuals still residing in tents or facilities will be relocated to these containers by Aug. 15.

Erdoğan outlined the strategic plan for housing reconstruction, aiming to construct and deliver 319,000 houses to their rightful owners within the first year. The president noted that the tendering process for 180,000 houses has been completed.

The on-site transformation initiative was also introduced to address the challenge of securing reserve areas and cater to citizens' preferences.

"Over 160,000 citizens have applied for on-site transformation, with more than 20,000 applications from our fellow citizens," Erdoğan disclosed.

The strategy is anticipated to not only expedite construction but also invigorate the economy, create new employment opportunities, foster a stronger sense of community and reduce construction costs, he suggested.

Erdoğan also unveiled plans for the construction of town squares in earthquake-affected cities.

Meanwhile, he expressed gratitude to philanthropists and organizations, including Galatasaray, which committed to constructing 250 permanent houses and 10 schools in the region.

In a call for solidarity, Erdoğan encouraged other leading football clubs, Fenerbahçe, Beşiktaş and Trabzonspor, to contribute to the recovery efforts. He proposed allocating a portion of the tribune revenues to support the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the earthquake-hit areas.