16.06.2026 00:10
In the Akçadağ district of Malatya, residents of Maskarlar Hamlet, where cell phone networks are unavailable after the earthquake, climb electricity poles to communicate. Stating that their safety is at risk, the residents say the base station 300 meters away is insufficient and demand that authorities boost the transmitter.
Residents of Maskarlar Hamlet, affiliated with Aliçeri Neighborhood in Malatya's Akçadağ district, are experiencing great hardship due to the mobile phone network being cut off after the earthquake. Stating that they cannot communicate even in emergencies, citizens have to risk their lives by climbing electrical poles and high hills to make phone calls.
MAKING A MOBILE PHONE CALL IS A LUXURY HERE
Years after the earthquakes described as the disaster of the century in Malatya's Akçadağ district, infrastructure deficiencies continue to complicate citizens' lives. Residents of Maskarlar Hamlet, affiliated with Aliçeri Neighborhood, stated that they live a life disconnected from the world due to the lack of mobile phone network and called out to authorities.
COMMUNICATION COMPLETELY CUT OFF AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE
Claiming that the communication infrastructure in the region became largely unusable after the February 6, 2023 earthquakes, the hamlet residents expressed that they are deprived of communication, which is a fundamental human right. Citizens stated that they cannot reach anyone even in the most urgent situations like health or safety, and they climb to the tops of electrical poles or the highest points of the village every day to find a network.
"A TRANSMITTER 300 METERS AWAY ONLY COVERS ONE HOUSE"
Aliseydi Maskar, one of the residents, stated that they have applied everywhere regarding the network issue but have received no results, and reacted with the following words:
"After the earthquake, our phones do not work here at all. We climb poles or high places to talk. A transmitter was installed about 300 meters away, but this base station only covers one house. A land allocation was made in time to serve the entire village, but the installed system unfortunately did not provide the expected benefit."
"NOT EVERYONE CAN CLIMB THE POLE, OUR LIVES ARE IN DANGER"
Maskar emphasized that they take a great risk every day to talk on the phone and have no safety, saying, "Out of desperation, we talk by climbing the electrical pole. This situation directly endangers our lives. There are elderly and sick people in the village; not everyone can climb these poles. Those who climb the poles gamble every moment with the risk of falling. Our only request from the authorities is either to install an additional transmitter in our region or to strengthen the existing one to cover the entire hamlet," calling for an urgent solution from the authorities.