Turkey's minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Mehmet Özhaseki underscored the pressing issue of earthquake-prone residences in Istanbul, stating that nearly 600,000 homes are at risk and require immediate transformation.
Özhaseki emphasized Türkiye's vulnerability to earthquakes, highlighting the imperative to avoid constructing buildings near fault lines.
He stressed the uncontrollable power beneath the Earth's surface, stating the nation must acknowledge and align life harmoniously with this seismic reality. He cited around 6 million residences and 1.5 million workplaces in Istanbul, with approximately 600,000 of them identified as high-risk structures that need prompt rehabilitation.
Asserting urban transformation as the only viable solution, Özhaseki declared that ongoing efforts focus on this essential initiative, with around 250,000 transformation applications already underway, emphasizing steel-framed construction as a safer alternative to traditional masonry structures.
The minister revealed plans to build 100,000 village houses, incorporating steel-framed structures that are resilient to earthquakes and are equipped to prevent water seepage. Özhaseki assured that these houses would be delivered within 6 months to ensure citizens' safety.
