Following the 7.8 magnitude Kahramanmaraş earthquake which affected both Turkey and Syria last month, governments now face the immense task of addressing reconstruction and recovery, as well as how best to manage the billions of dollars of aid committed to the region. Now is the moment to prioritize resilient housing as a key focus of early recovery efforts.
Housing is often the sector that determines how devastating a disaster will be. In a review of the 10 deadliest earthquakes from the 1950s-2000s, vulnerable housing was cited as a major cause of death in 8 of the 10 earthquakes. It can also have devastating effects to economies — Hurricane Maria in 2017 caused damages to 90% of the housing stock in the small island nation of Dominica, a storm that caused over $930 million in damages.
In Turkey, the risk of seismic damage has been known for decades, especially following a major 1999 earthquake which sounded the alarm for many on the weaknesses of the housing stock. Following the most recent earthquake, a lack of enforcement on building regulations and poor construction practices, in particular given the area’s high-risk profile, appear to be some of the reasons why this event has been particularly devastating. Prioritizing resilient housing will shape the region’s ability to withstand future seismic hazards, in addition to the pressing challenges of urbanization and climate change.
About the authors
Monica Schroeder
Monica Schroeder is the director of global advocacy at Build Change, where she elevates the issue of disaster- and climate-resilient housing and prevention of housing loss in global policy forums with a variety of stakeholders.
Elizabeth Hausler
Elizabeth Hausler is the founder and CEO of Build Change and a global expert on resilient housing, post-disaster reconstruction, and systems change. She has profoundly influenced global development policy by making resilience a major consideration for reconstruction efforts.