According to statement of Sinan Turkkan, the president of Earthquake Retrofit Association (DEGUDER) and the board chairman of Artyol Engineering, 817 thousand 339 buildings have been made since 2000 and they have 3 million 270 housings. Turkkan said:
‘’ The latest earthquakes have reminded us the risky and old buildings, there are 4.7 million housings in Istanbul and 3 million 270 of them over 20 years old. After the Marmara Earthquake happened in 1999, Mandatory Earthquake Insurance was operated in September 2000 and Natural Disaster Insurance Authority (DASK) was provided; government secures the housings against earthquakes and natural disasters related to it via DASK. Housings that have been insured against earthquake since these operations were started only covers more than 50 percent and still the remaining percentage has no insurance and that is very bothering. ‘’
69 percent of the housings built in 2000 and before have no insurance
Turkkan based himself on DASK data and stated that only 1 million 11 thousand housings which is 31 percent of 3 million 270 thousand housings built in 2000 and before have earthquake insurance. He said:
‘’More than two out of three housings older than 20 years have no insurance against earthquake and disasters related to it; this share remains too little considering our seismic city.
Only 2.4 million out of 4.7 million housings have policies; brand new buildings are seem to be insured yet only 5 percent of them reinforced against earthquakes. ‘’
3.5 million people live in housings built before 1980 in Istanbul
Turkkan reminded that Turkey is one of the 10 seismic countries in the world and said:
‘’ According to our studies, the number of the buildings made in 1980 and before meaning over 40 years old is 262 thousand 665. There are 4 apartments in one building; hence there are 1 million 50 housings in those historical buildings. According to the data of Turkish Statistical Institute, the average household is 3.3; thereby, at least 13 people live in one building. In this sense, 3.5 million people live in these 40 years old historical buildings.
Let alone earthquake resistant buildings, there is not enough awareness for insurance for these structures. Activities regarding the earthquake insurance and earthquake resistant buildings in Turkey should be accelerated. ‘’
source: AA / translated by Bazaar Team