Qatar sends World Cup containers to quake-hit Hatay

Mesut Hasan Benli- HATAY

As part of the efforts to shelter the survivors of the deadly Feb. 6 quakes, containers used by Qatar for the 2022 World Cup have started to be set up in the southern quake-hit province of Hatay, and about 596 families will be placed in 600 of these containers in the first phase of the project.

Qatar had previously announced that it will send 10,000 containers to Türkiye in the aftermath of the Feb. 6 devastating earthquakes centered in the southern province of Kahramanmaraş.

The first batch of the containers used in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar arrived in Türkiye, and works are ongoing to install them in Hatay’s Derince neighborhood.

The container city, being established on a 34,000-square-meter area, is still under construction.

Officials stated they are planning to place the earthquake survivors in the containers starting next week.

Gaziosmanpaşa District Governor İskender Yönden, who was assigned to coordinate the construction of the container city in Hatay, said that social activity areas will also be established around the compound, which is called Qatar-Türkiye Brotherhood Container City.

Yönden stated that each container is planned to accommodate four to five people.

Stating that the prepared containers are not convenient for crowded families to stay in, Yönden said that families of martyrs, families of people who have lost their lives in the quakes and people with disabilities will be prioritized.

Yönden announced that 97 container cities have been established throughout Hatay.

The 18-square-meter containers have a bedroom, shower, toilet, mini fridge, kettle and a dining table for two, but no kitchen to cook meals.

The earthquake survivors will be able to get their meals from soup kitchens that will be set up around the region.

Citizens who want to stay in the containers can apply via Türkiye’s e-government website e-Devlet.

Half of Qatar’s 10,000 containers will be installed in Hatay, while the remaining 5,000 will be installed in other provinces affected by the earthquakes.