A "great apocalypse" warning that will keep people awake in Istanbul.

The Director of the Disaster Management Institute of Istanbul Technical University (ITU), Prof. Dr. Mikdat Kadıoğlu, stated, "The most critical areas in Istanbul during an earthquake are the coastal regions. Istanbul has experienced a small apocalypse with the earthquake in Marmara. Now we are waiting for a great apocalypse in Istanbul."

Prof. Dr. Mikdat Kadıoğlu, the Director of the Disaster Management Institute of Istanbul Technical University (ITU), examined the risky and threatening structures in the neighborhoods of Kuzguncuk, Üsküdar. Residents of the neighborhoods showed interest in the training program implemented to create awareness and conduct urban risk hunting and urban risk analysis for the detection and solution of damaged structures against earthquakes.

"WE ARE WAITING FOR A GREAT APOCALYPSE IN ISTANBUL"

Addressing the measures that need to be taken against the possible earthquake expected in Istanbul, Kadıoğlu said: "As you know, Istanbul has experienced a small apocalypse with the earthquake in Marmara. Now we are waiting for a great apocalypse in Istanbul. While waiting for this great apocalypse, we need to prepare on the one hand. We can prepare in various ways. We check the sturdiness of our building. We check whether we have secured the items in our homes. What is our preparedness for disasters, what kind of materials do we have? Do we know first aid, do we know how to extinguish a fire, do we have a family disaster plan? After that, can we go out and help each other in the neighborhood during a disaster?

When we go out, we need to know where we can gather, which furniture, which air conditioners, and which tables will move, block traffic, and harm people during an earthquake. As you know, there are heaters placed on the streets and sidewalks all winter. Of course, there is a risk of them tipping over. There is also a risk of them causing fires. People need to be able to see these, and if these can be reduced with simple precautions, they will not pose a fire hazard under normal circumstances. Moreover, they will not make our job more difficult during a disaster. Therefore, we need to be conscious and prepared. When an earthquake occurs, we will not suffer excessive loss of life and property, just like the Japanese. We learned this urban risk hunting from the Japanese. The Japanese call this Town Watching.

"THE MOST CRITICAL AREAS IN ISTANBUL DURING AN EARTHQUAKE ARE THE COASTAL REGIONS"

Pointing out the coastal areas in Istanbul, Kadıoğlu used the following expressions: "Of course, the most critical areas in Istanbul during an earthquake are the coastal regions. The main thing is for the residents here to see the deficiencies. For example, today we saw that there are very few hydrants. Today we saw that there are very few grates. In other words, our gathering areas are very insufficient. There are many obstacles on the road. Citizens need to see these. Normally, we may have become accustomed to seeing these. But in disasters, these will make our lives even more difficult. Therefore, neighborhood-based risk analysis was a project to guide the society towards a scientific perspective on this science and social science. The society must first take on the task of preparing for this disaster. It is certainly not enough to expect everything from the state.

The state cannot manage disasters alone, without the public. This public, management, society, administrators, and governments need to work together. Today, we have done an example of this here. Of course, the most critical areas in Istanbul during an earthquake are the coastal regions. That is, the reclaimed areas along the Sea of Marmara, the landslide areas that were most affected in the 1999 earthquake, and despite being so far away, the regions that experienced difficulties. Additionally, the sturdiness of the building is very important. The ground, the building, and the fact that the items inside are not secured are also very important, as well as how knowledgeable and skilled people are in terms of mental and educational aspects, fire, and first aid.