One year after the earthquake that devastated southern Turkey and left more than 53,000 dead and millions homeless

Photo: Xinhua/Li Zhenbei

KAHRAMANMARAS, Turkey, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- A year after a twin earthquake devastated southern Turkey, claiming more than 53,000 lives and millions of left homeless, the struggle for a normal life continues here.

In the rubble-strewn town of Kahramanmaras, one of the worst affected areas, residents are clinging to the hope of returning to normal life as reconstruction efforts continue. Ahmet Albayrak, a 47-year-old butcher who lives in Kahramanmaras, still remembers the trauma of that day. He recalls the loss of life, the collapsed buildings and the months spent trying to rebuild his business. Despite the hardships, Albayrak stressed the importance of maintaining hope and mustering the strength to keep going.

"We need some patience and gratitude," Albayrak said, adding: "These are tough times, but we will get through them."

Albayrak acknowledged that the fate of others is worse, especially the hundreds of thousands of people living in temporary makeshift shelters, known as container towns. The government's ambitious reconstruction efforts, backed by billions of dollars, have not yet translated into concrete dates for their return home. A double earthquake measuring 7.7 and 7.6 on the Richter scale struck Turkey on 6 February 2023, marking the deadliest disaster in its modern history. The sheer scale of the devastation and the estimated reconstruction costs of USD 100 billion have put an even greater strain on the country's already fragile economy. Despite the difficulties in Kahramanmar, however, Albayrak refused to leave his hometown. He said he learned to appreciate life and things he used to take for granted, such as electricity and water, when everything collapsed.

"After the earthquake, we realized how valuable these things are, how valuable a pair of socks and warm water are," he said.

Cuma Kayan, a 51-year-old appliance salesman, is inspired by a similar unbreakable hope. "We cannot leave our city... We have to revive Kahramanmaras," he said. He added that he was satisfied with the pace of reconstruction and the Turkish government's rescue and relief work.

"After the earthquake, the government supported us with food and forgave our taxes," he said, adding that the government was also providing financial assistance.

However, he also expressed his desire for more coordinated demolition work to continue so that a new future for his neighborhood and the city can be planned. Thousands of government-backed apartments are being built in Kahramanmar and neighbouring towns, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan pledging to deliver 319,000 new homes by February 2024. On Saturday, some evacuees were handed the keys to more than 7,000 newly completed homes in Hatay, another province hit hard by last year's earthquakes.

Xinhua/gnews.cz-JaV_07