İzmir remembers victims of devastating earthquake in 2020

IZMIR

Survivors, city officials and citizens gathered in the western city of İzmir on Oct. 30 to commemorate the victims of the 2020 earthquake that struck off the coast and killed 117 people.

Multiple ceremonies organized by the governor's office in İzmir and the municipality were held to honor the lives lost, particularly in Bayraklı, the district hardest hit by the earthquake.

During the main ceremony, attendees laid carnations at the earthquake monument in Bayraklı. Fire trucks sounded their sirens at 2:51 p.m., marking the moment the earthquake struck four years ago, followed by a minute of silence.

İzmir Mayor Cemil Tugay acknowledged the risk posed by older buildings, many of which were built before the 1999 regulation overhaul.

"We are doing our best," he said. "We have to do something to rebuild especially risky structures… if possible, or to strengthen them if not."

In a parallel commemoration, İzmir Governor Süleyman Elban highlighted the ongoing seismic risks facing the city, underscoring the importance of urban transformation as a long-term solution.

"We often forget the significance of this work until a disaster strikes,” Elban said, urging accelerated efforts in urban renewal.

Hasan Sözbilir, a geology professor at İzmir's Dokuz Eylül University (DEÜ), presented data emphasizing the city's vulnerability, with 60 percent of buildings still at risk should a magnitude 7 earthquake hit.

In response, the municipality reported stepped-up efforts to create an earthquake-resistant building stock, produce a suitability map for safer settlements and establish a comprehensive master plan for disaster management.

The ceremony also introduced the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency's (AFAD) new emergency response team in İzmir and a forklift aimed at improving response capabilities.