Statement from Turkey İMSAD on Earthquake Week

Statement from Türkiye İMSAD on Earthquake Awareness Week As all of Turkey works together to heal the wounds opened by the earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş, Tayfun Küçükoğlu, Chairman of the Board of Türkiye İMSAD, emphasized the need for strong inspection mechanisms for safe buildings in his statement on the occasion of Earthquake Awareness Week, 1-7 March. Küçükoğlu stated that earthquakes are an inevitable reality for our country and that it is important to implement a strong inspection mechanism in order to build sturdy buildings that can adapt to this reality, and he drew attention to the need to launch programs that would leave a lasting impact by creating a consciousness mobilization. As consecutive earthquakes in our country caused severe destruction in 11 provinces, Tayfun Küçükoğlu, Chairman of the Board of the Building Materials Manufacturers Association (Türkiye İMSAD), made statements regarding both the earthquakes and Earthquake Awareness Week, 1-7 March. Expressing that they are in deep sorrow due to the earthquake disaster Turkey is facing, Tayfun Küçükoğlu stated: "This disaster, which caused more than 42,000 of our citizens to lose their lives, thousands to be injured, and hundreds of thousands to lose their homes, has left deep wounds in all of our hearts. From the first day of the disaster, we stood by our disaster victims with all our support, both as Türkiye İMSAD and individually. In the process ahead, we are committed to doing whatever we can. As a nation that carries mutual aid and solidarity in its genes, through this struggle we have launched with the spirit of Çanakkale, we will heal our wounds together by embracing one another" he said, and emphasized that the devastating disaster that shook 11 provinces reminded all of Turkey once again of the earthquake reality with irreplaceable losses.

"We must implement programs that will leave a lasting impact"

Küçükoğlu continued: "We need a comprehensive mobilization on the issue of earthquakes. Instead of short-term solutions, our priority is to create a consciousness mobilization. We need to determine earthquake safety awareness among our people and launch a long-term mobilization to establish improvement strategies. We must implement plans and programs that will leave a lasting impact. With good planning and determination, by creating awareness and consciousness, we must initiate change from the ground up. Only under these conditions can we have comfortable and safe structures suitable for modern living conditions."

"We must focus on creating earthquake awareness"

Stating that earthquakes are a reality of the earth's crust and that it is possible to minimize their effects, Küçükoğlu said: "Earthquakes are a reality of the geography we inhabit. Just as in the past, earthquakes will continue to occur in the future. Therefore, while we discuss where and how large earthquakes will be, we must focus on creating earthquake awareness first in order to learn how to live with earthquakes. What is important is to adapt to the earthquake reality, to be able to live with this reality and to create an earthquake regulation accordingly. Indeed, our country has an earthquake regulation that has been established in accordance with all these risks" he said.