Earthquake Fund and National Earthquake Council Should Be Established Urgently

Kahramanmaraş while two earthquakes with a magnitude of 7.7 and 7.6 caused more than 31 thousand deaths in more than 10 cities, economic damage has occurred, the effect of which will last for years.

Eyüp Sevimli, Chairman of the Board of Izmir Free Zone (İZBAŞ), on the economic costs of the earthquake in January, “Management of Non-Structural Risks” recalling that they hosted a training workshop on the subject, “We realized how important this training was after the earthquake we experienced a few days later. We cannot measure the value of our citizens who lost their lives. Their pain breaks our hearts. We wish God's mercy on all of them. However, by taking the necessary lessons from these pains, we must guarantee the resources that will prepare Turkey for new earthquakes at the highest level.” said.

“NOT EARTHQUAKE TAX, EARTHQUAKE FUND”

Turkey, which is among the most risky earthquake countries in the world, noting that they need sustainable financial resources to reduce the destruction they have experienced, Sevimli said, the system successfully implemented in the Unemployment Insurance Fund he suggested that the Earthquake Fund should be provided with a legal guarantee that would prevent its implementation and misuse. The resources that will form the Earthquake Fund, pointing out that it should be treated fairly by all segments of the society, Eyüp Sevimli said, made the following assessment:

“UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE FUND BEST EXAMPLE”

“Since 1999 the Unemployment Insurance Fund, which has been successfully implemented, stands before us as an example of good practice. During the pandemic period as employers, we have experienced the importance of this fund. Also for the Earthquake Fund a similar model can be constructed. The source to be collected in the fund with the legal assurance that it will not be used for any other purpose, it can be professionally managed and remunerated. Economic destruction caused by earthquakes, the effects of which last for decades, constitutes the most important risk factor on our country's economy. Not just residences our factories and production facilities with both its structural features and emergency plans must be prepared for earthquakes.”

“NATIONAL EARTHQUAKE COUNCIL AGAIN MUST BE CREATED”

Eyüp Sevimli, Chairman of the Board of İZBAŞ, although it was established after the 1999 earthquake, the National Earthquake Council, which was dissolved in 2007, was also re-established, added that scientists who are experts in their fields should be brought together under the leadership of the public authority.

Turkey's most competent earthquake scientists have repeatedly warned about earthquakes in the Kahramanmaraş region, reminding that they made pinpoint predictions for the location and severity of the earthquake, continued his words as follows:

“Similar warnings have been made by our scientists for Istanbul many times. Our government, our local governments taking the threat with the utmost seriousness, by transferring resources, our cities need to increase their earthquake preparedness levels. zoning plans, it is of vital importance that urban settlements are built by considering the earthquake reality. In order for our country not to experience these pains again, we must continue our preparation processes and we need to raise our level to the highest level.”