New study by EEFIT shed light on the main reason that cost 50,000 lives due to Turkey -Syria earthquake

According to the study, conducted by the Earthquake Engineering Field Investigation Team (EEFIT), the main reason that cost 50,000 lives due to the Turkey -Syria earthquake on February 6, 2023, is being investigated. Within a week after the disaster, a collaborative effort between industry and universities assembled a team of 30 global experts to assess the aftermath of the earthquake.

The investigation includes various disciplines such as geotechnics, structural and infrastructure impact. According to their study, the primary reason for the high number of casualties in these earthquakes was the predominance of reinforced concrete structures in the building stock. It should be mentioned that the quake resulted in more than 50,000 deaths, 100,000 injuries, and substantial damage to buildings and infrastructure, with estimated costs reaching $84.1 billion.

The experts highlighted that the pursuit of profit motivates all stakeholders in the construction industry to make shortcuts. The authors of the report emphasized the necessity to enhance auditing and quality control mechanisms within the legal processes to ensure conformity with building codes. They agreed that they must stop approve of non-compliant buildings through amnesties while they mentioned the deficiencies even in the most recent building stock. Therefore, they are suggesting a thorough evaluation of the buildings and infrastructure to estimate the risk levels for future earthquakes.

Professor Emily So from Cambridge University, a co-leader of the investigation, described the 2023 Turkey and Syria earthquakes as deeply tragic, particularly affecting vulnerable populations. Through fieldwork and remote analysis, several problems were uncovered, as most non-compliant buildings lack seismic design and/or resilience. The compliance with the building code was strengthened and was deemed necessary.