Emergency crews dispatch in Turkey's Balıkesir following earthquake event
In the Sındırgı district of Balıkesir, western Turkey, a 6.1 magnitude earthquake hit on Sunday, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. The epicenter of the quake was located in the Sındırgı district, causing numerous buildings, both inhabited and abandoned, to crumble.
The quake claimed the life of one elderly resident in a three-story apartment building in the town center. In addition, three patients in the hospital were directly injured by the quake. Residents of rural neighborhoods such as Alacaatlı and Kızılgür spent the night outdoors due to the earthquake and continuing aftershocks.
A total of 16 buildings were destroyed by the earthquake. Four of these were inhabited buildings located in Sındırgı town center, including the three-story apartment building. The remaining 12 destroyed structures were mostly in nearby villages, such as Alacaatlı and Gölcük, where many abandoned homes were among the buildings that collapsed.
The destruction primarily impacted both the central town and surrounding rural villages within the Sındırgı district. In Kızılgür, the minaret of a 49-year-old mosque collapsed due to the earthquake. Muammer Kızmaz, a member of the mosque's congregation, spent his childhood there and worked on its construction as a child.
Hasan Umur spent the night at the stadium due to the earthquake, while smoke began rising from the mountains around Gölcük, and the ground continued to shake all night, every three to five minutes, with loud rumbles. Residents like Hasan Demirtaş reported their homes filled with dust during the earthquake, and the upstairs walls collapsed.
The Turkish government is closely monitoring the disaster response, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, AFAD, the Governorship, and related ministries all involved. TL 20 million ($491,260) has been allocated from AFAD for emergency expenditures. Prosecutors from the Balikesir Chief Public Prosecutor's Office and Sindirgi are actively investigating the collapsed buildings, collecting samples, and reviewing all construction documents.
The Turkish Red Crescent leads a committee providing aid and refreshments, deploying 25 teams supported by NGOs and municipalities. A total of 1,100 search and rescue personnel have been deployed to the region, supported by 11 search dogs and 214 vehicles.
As the aftermath of the earthquake continues, the affected communities remain anxious about going back inside their homes due to the ongoing tremors. The Turkish government and aid organisations are working tirelessly to provide assistance and ensure the safety of the affected residents.
| Location | Number of Buildings Destroyed | Notes | |-------------------------------|------------------------------|--------------------------------| | Sındırgı town center | 1 inhabited building + others? | Includes a three-story apartment building | | Nearby villages (Alacaatlı, Gölcük, Kızılgür) | 15 buildings (mostly abandoned homes) | Includes mosque minaret collapse |
- The destruction of the 16 buildings in the Sındırgı district, including a three-story apartment building in the town center, underlines the urgency for improved building safety in earthquake-prone regions, a topic commonly discussed in general-news and health-and-wellness segments.
- In the aftermath of the earthquake, arts and cultural preservation efforts in Istanbul have temporarily taken a backseat, as the Turkish government and Red Crescent focus on ensuring the safety and well-being of the affected residents in Sındırgı.
- With the earthquake causing damage to infrastructure and homes, it is crucial for the Turkish government to allocate resources effectively and efficiently – a task that requires careful planning and decision-making in politics and defense.
- As the Turkish authorities investigate the causes of the collapsed buildings, it is important for policies regarding construction quality and adherence to building codes to be reviewed and strengthened to prevent similar tragedies in the future – an issue that undoubtedly falls under the jurisdiction of architecture, urban planning, and related sciences.
- The investigations into the collapsed buildings and review of construction documents may uncover instances of building code violations or substandard construction materials, which could lead to criminal charges and heightened public discourse on crime and justice in future years.
