IMM shared with the public the mobilization plan, which was initiated in line with the suggestions, determinations and solutions of the 'Earthquake Science Supreme Board' in order to make Istanbul an earthquake resistant city. Emphasizing that everyone together with the government, opposition, bureaucrats and citizens should accept the earthquake as Turkey's primary problem, the Mayor of IMM Ekrem İmamoğlu“We, as of today. Changing order is an act of courage. In order to be brave, one must first get rid of being a part of that order. Since June 2019, IMM has been completely outside the 'zoning-rent-politics' order. For this reason, we are in a position to take the most advanced and courageous steps regarding earthquakes. In this process, it is a necessity to enact a special law for Istanbul. We must remove the zoning amnesties for the whole country from our lives forever, never to return. From now on, we should see every zoning amnesty proposal in this country as a betrayal for our future. Moreover, we should make a constitutional regulation regarding the prohibition of zoning amnesties.” "As of today, we are determined to transform Istanbul into an earthquake resistant city, we are brave," said İmamoğlu, adding, "We cannot stop any longer. We all know that; If Istanbul stops, Turkey stops. If Istanbul stops, Turkey will fall on its knees. For us, this is a start. For this purpose, we are going out on the field as of today. After 15 days, we start receiving reinforcement applications. On Thursday, we enter the neighborhood and continue our demolition. We will meet again in April and share the details of our disaster action plan with you. Let's change this order, which produces slow and insidious massacres in our cities and takes our lives away from us, together. Let's start now and turn all our cities into earthquake resistant cities with a 5-year plan, a 10-year plan and a 20-year plan. May our fate not resemble the fate of other civilizations that rose in these lands and were destroyed by earthquakes.
Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) shared with the public the mobilization plan that it started to make the city an earthquake resistant city. Meeting; CHP Deputy Secretary General Seyit Torun, Gökçe Gökçen, İBB President Ekrem İmamoğlu, Adana Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Zeydan Karalar, Mersin Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Vahap Seçer, among them Prof. Dr. Naci Gorur, Prof. Dr. Celal Şengör and Prof. Dr. It was held with the participation of the country's leading earth scientists such as Haluk Eyidogan.
“WE CANNOT CONTINUE OUR LIFE AS WE OLD”
Stating that the earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş on February 6, 2023 mobilized all of us as a nation, İmamoğlu said in the opening speech of the event, “As IMM, we rushed to the disaster area with all our strength from the first day. We did our best in all areas related to the earthquake, starting with search and rescue in the entire region, especially in Hatay, where AFAD matched us. We continue to do. As long as we can, we will continue to stand by our disaster victims in these difficult times in a sustainable way with our more than 2000 personnel in the region.” Saying, “This great disaster and what we have experienced during the disaster, there is a huge responsibility on all of us,” İmamoğlu said, “We can no longer continue our lives as before. In this atmosphere, with tens of thousands of lives still under the rubble, we cannot lead our normal lives. "We all need to rethink everything," he said.
“AS IBB, WE TAKE INITIATIVE, CHANGE ORDER”
“If there are earthquakes in these lands, buildings are destroyed, and our people die; İmamoğlu said, "We should all accept the earthquake as Turkey's primary problem, together with its government, opposition, bureaucrats and citizens."
“From now on, we should leave aside the discussions about earthquakes, fault lines, where the earthquake will happen, when it will happen, whether it will happen or not, and what size it will be. Earthquake is a reality for these lands. Point! Millions of years ago, earthquake-forming mechanisms were formed in these lands; It will continue to exist for millions of years. Since we cannot stop earthquakes, we have to create earthquake-resistant settlements and earthquake-resistant cities in order not to collapse as a nation and to survive in the future as a state. As of today, we, as İBB, are taking the initiative and changing the order. Changing order is an act of courage. In order to be brave, one must first get rid of being a part of that order. Since June 2019, IMM has been completely outside the 'zoning-rent-politics' order. For this reason, we are in a position to take the most advanced and courageous steps regarding earthquakes. As we have fulfilled the requirements of this position since the first day, we, as Istanbul, stand up to fulfill the earthquake issue. We are starting a mobilization for earthquake resistant Istanbul.”
“JUST LIKE IT WAS POSSIBLE IN CHILE AND JAPAN, IT IS POSSIBLE IN ISTANBUL”
Addressing the question “Is this possible?” İmamoğlu underlined the question, “Yes; well possible. Just as it was possible in California, Mexico, Italy, Indonesia, Chile and Japan, it is also possible in Istanbul. In order to protect our people, we will achieve the earthquake resistant city implementation in Istanbul for the first time and set an example for Turkey. That's our goal, that's the purpose of our mobilization. Earthquake is an inevitable matter of reality and survivability for Istanbul. Just as it has hit Istanbul throughout history, it will strike again. Let no one doubt. If we, as a nation, are going to keep our generation alive forever in this land; We have to create earthquake resistant settlements in the short, medium and long term. And again, no one doubts, we can do it. For this, we have technical knowledge, 'know how,' we have the power, we have the will, we have the financial power. In this national mobilization, we want to work and succeed together with our state, our government, our scientists, our civil society and our nation. We also believe that we will succeed”.
“WE NEED REALISTIC STRATEGIES”
“But believing alone is not enough. We need realistic strategies,” said İmamoğlu, adding the list of needed ones: “We need resources; because our problem is huge. We need cooperation; because there is a multidimensional and diverse work to be done. Every sector needs to be mobilized and mobilized; because a long chain from government officials to technical personnel, from health officials to citizens must work without breaking. We need science; because we can't move on, ignoring what science says, as it was yesterday. We need a phased roadmap; because we have to include all resources in the process according to a certain time plan”. “Today, in this hall, we are making a new beginning with your participation and witness. We are starting all over again to make this ancient city a resilient city against earthquakes and disasters," said İmamoğlu and said:
“EARTHQUAKE SCIENCE SUPERIOR COMMITTEE HELD EXTENDED MEETINGS IN 7 AREAS”
“I say all this, but I want you to know that we have brought together and reviewed many disaster preparedness studies and projects that we have done since we came to power. We quickly formed an 'Earthquake Science Supreme Council' by making a call to the scientific community. After its first meeting, this board held extended meetings in 7 areas covering all dimensions of the earthquake. We focused on all aspects, from earthquake reinforcement to emergency aid, from logistics to health measures, from neighborhood organization to our disaster coordination center. As of today, we have evaluation reports from 7 scientific committees. On behalf of the people of Istanbul, I would like to thank all academics, experts and representatives of institutions and organizations who participated in our boards. Our teams and scientists will continue their work from now on. We will review our work at every stage and fulfill the necessities of our mobilization. As of today, we are in the third phase of our mobilization. We will sincerely share 'What we have done, what we are doing' about the earthquake in IMM. What is our real situation, how big a problem are we facing; We will share that too. We will see that there is huge work to be done and there is a situation beyond the will of IMM with its financial dimension and legislation. In the last section, I will share a way out that takes this situation into account.”
IMM Bureaucrats Explained Their Action Plans
After İmamoğlu's opening speech, İBB bureaucrats took the floor and made short presentations covering the works related to their areas of responsibility. Respectively; Istanbul Planning Agency (IPA) President Emrah Şahan (common wisdom for earthquake resistant Istanbul), IMM Deputy Secretary General Dr. Buğra Gökçe (Legislation for earthquake resistant Istanbul – Earthquake resistant transportation), KİPTAŞ General Manager Ali Kurt (Earthquake resistant building stock), İBB Deputy Secretary General Pelin Alpkökin (Earthquake resistant metro and infrastructure), İSKİ General Manager (Earthquake resistant water lines), İGDAŞ General Manager Bülent Özmen (Earthquake resistant natural gas lines), İBB Environmental Protection and Control Department Head Prof. Dr. Ayşen Erdinçler (mobilization for environment and waste management), İBB Deputy Secretary General Mahir Polat (mobilization for earthquake resistant historical heritage) and İBB Secretary General Can Akın Çağlar (Financing model for earthquake resistant residences) made their presentations.
Taking the floor again after the bureaucrats, İmamoğlu said, “Classically, after such long speeches, 'Thank you for your patience' is said. But I'm not going to thank you this time for your patience. Because we have to be patient with it, and we have to listen to it persistently, share it persistently, and talk persistently. So you shouldn't be bored about it, we shouldn't be bored. From time to time, the subject of earthquakes is talked about on television and the least watched part is the part where there are conversations about that earthquake. I'm talking about normal time, except earthquake time. We have to create exactly the opposite situation with a sense of responsibility in a sustainable way.” Stating that they received invitations from the Istanbul Governor's Office as of yesterday, İmamoğlu said, “There are meetings within AFAD. I would like to announce in advance that we will inform the public at the highest level after these meetings and all subsequent meetings, and that we will cooperate with the society through what we will say and follow.”
“COME, LET'S ESTABLISH A 'MARMARA EARTHQUAKE COUNCIL'”
Saying, "The Kahramanmaraş Earthquake brought all the rulers of this country to a crossroads, it should bring them to a crossroads," İmamoğlu said, "We will now either act together or anyone who does not cooperate in preparing for the earthquake will leave their seats and return to their homes. We have to be very fast, very clear, very determined and take action all together. No one can tolerate empty words. If I say this empty word, it applies to me too. It is also valid for the person who is in the office of the country. Time; It is time for concrete solutions, concrete proposals and concrete actions.” İmamoğlu listed the solution proposals in this context as follows:
“Come, let's set up a 'Marmara Earthquake Council' to prepare Istanbul and the whole Marmara region for an earthquake. Today, I repeat the call I have made to our government for years: Let's plan a formation together with ministries, governorship, IMM, district municipalities, professional groups of related sectors, NGOs and universities. Let's provide the necessary autonomy and suitable working conditions to this respected and powerful council, which will be formed by the consensus of the government and all local governments in the Marmara region. Let them prepare a roadmap for us with a common mind. From engineering to planning, from logistics to health strategy, from what needs to be done in the social field to administrative-legal dimensions, the work to be done at all levels should be defined with a scientific approach. Let's determine which institution will take charge at what level and run a fast process. Let's start the Istanbul and Marmara earthquake mobilization with scientific, planned and determined steps. IMM is ready to fulfill all its duties in such an organization. Because this is the most correct and healthiest way.”
“WE WILL REVISE OUR BUDGET”
Emphasizing that as IMM, they do not wait for ideal conditions to form to take action, İmamoğlu said, “With the 'Earthquake Action and Response Plan' we have prepared together with experts, we are taking our earthquake preparations to a more advanced stage as of today. In line with this action plan, we will revise our budget, including disaster preparedness. As much as we can increase it, we will allocate it for the earthquake, provided that our essential expenses are set aside. In the next 3 months, we will add 30 more earthquake parks to our people, in which critical needs such as energy, water, shelter and waste are ready. We will ensure that disaster response is effective with our strengthening activities on evacuation routes. We propose legislative studies in many areas. We have been working on the renewal of the 'Istanbul Zoning Regulation' for about 1,5 years. Issues such as placing earthquake containers on parcels of certain sizes, limiting overhangs, encouraging the use of earthquake isolator systems in buildings, occupancy of the roofs for transformation purposes as independent sections, making disaster-priority infrastructure preparations in open areas and green areas will play an important role in preparing Istanbul for disasters. .
“WE WILL STRENGTHEN THE COST”
Emphasizing that they will present the revision work of the Istanbul Zoning Regulation to the IMM Assembly as of this month, İmamoğlu said, “At this point, an important topic is the implementation of the subject of inspecting the buildings in certain periods after the settlement-building use permit is given as soon as possible. This must be included in the zoning legislation. We made the necessary correspondence with all our district municipalities and invited them to create a joint action plan. If any intervention is made after a licensed, inhabited building, it is a crime and we will not allow this crime with our public responsibility. We started our strengthening works with the regulation proposal we presented to the Assembly. We are establishing the 'Istanbul Getting Stronger' system. With this system, we will start from the buildings that have applied for fast scanning and received reinforcement proposals and will retrofit at cost. We are preparing a separate regulation on partial and comprehensive strengthening. In this regulation, we will describe the construction process and financing models for buildings that will be within the scope of retrofitting, based on the results of risky building analysis and rapid building scan. We will expand fast scanning”.
“NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS TO THE FAST SCANNING SYSTEM EXCEEDED 110 THOUSAND”
Stating that the number of applications to the rapid scanning system after the Kahramanmaraş Earthquake exceeded 110 thousand, İmamoğlu said, “We have made a protocol that we will proceed with the professional chambers and relevant stakeholders in order to act quickly and spread this work. In order to further disseminate this process, we suggest that legislative work be carried out by the central administration. We urgently need to work together on unlicensed and uninhabited buildings. In line with the holistic housing policies approach, in March, we are laying the foundation for the construction of 5.000 units of social rental housing and affordable social housing in the areas where the project and licensing process have been completed in March. In the medium term, we will start the construction process of 10 thousand more houses. We plan all the details such as water tank, septic tank, solar panel, tool and equipment cabinet, garbage collection area, tent settlement area in assembly areas and temporary shelter areas. We determined our logistics centers and determined our needs. We will increase the area of 2.450 hectares determined by AFAD, which Istanbul currently has, to 2,2 hectares by increasing it 7.850 times.”
“WE WILL PREPARE TEMPORARY SHELTERING AREAS FOR 4,5 MILLION CITIZENS”
Stating that they will quickly prepare temporary accommodation areas for 4,5 million citizens on the European and Anatolian sides, İmamoğlu said, “Assembly areas, temporary accommodation areas and 1st degree evacuation corridors will be included in the zoning plans. Plan changes and plan amendments will not be made regarding these. Central government support and financial support are needed for the development and acceleration of infrastructure works. We insistently demand this. In the last earthquake, we saw the importance of the lack of lighting in the event of a disaster. We are starting the electrical project. We will carry out solar powered street lamp projects on the main arteries step by step. We will carry out our projects for the establishment of mobile base stations in public buildings and ships, and the preparation of charging units in assembly areas so that communication is not interrupted and there is no electricity shortage. In terms of early warning, we are developing our 50-kilometer fiber optic-based early warning system. Thanks to the 5.000 sensors on this line and the artificial intelligence to be developed, we will maximize our preparedness and response for the earthquake.”
“THE DISASTER VOLUNTEER TRAINING SHALL BE GIVEN TO PEOPLE WHO WILL MAKE SOLDIER MILITARY”
Noting that they started a project to create effective search and rescue teams in every neighborhood of Istanbul, İmamoğlu said, “We will provide trainings in Istanbul Fire Department under the coordination of district municipalities and provide the necessary equipment to trained people. With the protocol we will make with professional organizations, we will train 5 thousand professional people and make them ready in all neighborhoods with their relevant equipment. What we will do will enable us to leave behind a very important stage in Istanbul's earthquake preparation, but unfortunately, it will not be enough to change this order that produces 'rotten buildings'. For this, there are vital steps to be taken by the TGNA and the central government. It is imperative that many institutions be prepared in this regard, and that a fast and effective work should be carried out on the arrangement and training of volunteers in many cities not only in Istanbul but also in the nearby region. For example; I would like to announce here that it is an important step, even if only disaster volunteer training is given to people who have done their 1-month military service in an environment where the right to military service has been intensively announced and established recently. I would like to remind all of you that if we can include not only our Mehmetçi who did their military service, but also 1 percent of our hundreds of thousands of people who received disaster volunteer training even in a 30-month period in this process, 40 percent of them are a great achievement throughout the country.”
“WE SHOULD CONSIDER EVERY ZONING AMENDMENT PROPOSAL AS A BEHALF FOR OUR FUTURE”
Saying, “In this process, it is a necessity to enact a special law for Istanbul,” İmamoğlu said, “But we must remove the zoning amnesties for the whole country from our lives forever, so that they never come back. From now on, we should see every zoning amnesty proposal in this country as a betrayal for our future. Moreover, we should make a constitutional regulation regarding the prohibition of zoning amnesties.” Saying, "We must completely renew the building inspection and contracting system," İmamoğlu said:
“Inspection activities should be offered as a public service with a structure that includes strong local governments and professional chambers. We should make an arrangement that will allow each member of the society to see the earthquake safety certificate of all buildings by the municipalities, both as open data on the building and in the digital environment. First of all, starting from unlicensed buildings, it should be compulsory to obtain a license for the buildings to be strengthened or demolished and reconstructed within 6 months. Within 1 year, the construction for strengthening or rebuilding should be started. Although it is stated in the zoning plans as 'assembly area and urban park area, health area, training area, fire station', an 'Emergency Expropriation Program' should be implemented for the places on which there are buildings. Now, the house to be built in each square meter of Istanbul must have a purpose in order for Istanbul to be prepared for an earthquake. If a holistic approach is not taken from the production of social housing to affordable housing, from the use of empty houses to rent policies, Istanbul cannot become earthquake-resistant in any way. We have concrete studies and suggestions on all these issues. Today, there are 25 current laws and 11 regulations regarding zoning regulations in our country. And 19 different institutions are authorized in practice. Even by avoiding this confusion, processes can be speeded up.”
“WE HAVE WITNESSED THAT POLITICS FELL LOSS AGAINST SOCIETY”
“The devastating disaster we have been through has shown that the state administration and politics need to undergo a fundamental change,” said İmamoğlu, adding, “We have adopted a state understanding that has the initiative to take immediate action in crises, is accountable to its citizens with transparency at every step, has strengthened local governments, and has a participatory culture of cooperation. We must implement it immediately. While the society put all its problems aside and showed a strong solidarity with the disaster, all politics with its government and opposition could not give the appearance of 'compacting in difficult times'. Sadly, we have witnessed that politics has fallen far behind society. For this reason, we need to do our best to ensure that Turkish politics is truly pluralistic. Because the approaching Marmara earthquake does not threaten only Istanbul or the Marmara Region. It also threatens Turkey and its future, economy and place in the world. We should not forget that the approaching danger is a disaster that will threaten our national security.
“WE NEED TO BUILD A NEW CENTRAL GOVERNMENT-LOCAL GOVERNMENT-CIVIL SOCIETY COOPERATION”
“We need to build a new central government-local government-civil society cooperation in order to survive the Istanbul earthquake without being destroyed or succumbed to the earthquake. For this, we need to establish a new policy, a vigorous and fresh system. This is now a vital necessity” said İmamoğlu and listed the issues that need to be resolved together as follows:
“Establishment of Marmara Earthquake Council. Support for the revision of the IMM earthquake budget. Making legislative studies to make Istanbul earthquake resistant. Collaboration and financial support with the central government for legal regulation on structural reinforcement. Dissemination of the rapid screening method by enacting legislation. Legal and administrative regulations regarding the use of empty houses program. Coordination with the central administration for the development of fully equipped physical infrastructures of post-earthquake assembly and temporary shelter areas. Working with relevant actors to make all infrastructure systems of Istanbul such as communication, electricity and energy earthquake resistant. Law study specific to Istanbul.”
“IT IS AN UNCONDITIONAL CALL FOR COOPERATION”
Reiterating his call for mobilization for all relevant persons, institutions and organizations, İmamoğlu said:
“It is an unconditional call for cooperation. It is a call to all our ministries, from the Ministry of National Defense to the Ministry of Interior, from the Ministry of Urban Planning to the Ministry of Transport. It is a call especially to all local governments in Marmara, our 39 district municipalities, civil and military administrations, our professional chambers, business organizations and all relevant institutions and companies of all sizes. In fact, we have called for mobilization many times since we came to power for earthquake preparation and making Istanbul an earthquake resistant city. We invite those who are not eligible for this mobilization invitation, again and again. Kahramanmaraş earthquake should be a milestone for all of us without exception. We can no longer neglect our responsibilities in this regard. If we do, this time the bill will be much higher. Now we have to abandon the old style of politics. Instead of transforming the buildings on-site and providing and strengthening safe housing for our people, the words that I will move millions of houses to new areas, almost as if they are moving houses, will ruin this city. It is impossible to do business without speaking to the citizens and listening to the voice of science and common sense.”
"LET'S CHANGE THIS ORDER TOGETHER THAT TAKES OUR LIVES FROM US"
Saying, "Let's give up on fait accompli methods and talk like election promises, without collaborating with local governments," İmamoğlu concluded his speech with these words:
“As of today, we are determined and brave to transform Istanbul into an earthquake resistant city. We can't stop anymore. We all know that; If Istanbul stops, Turkey stops. If Istanbul stops, Turkey will fall on its knees. For us, this is a start. For this purpose, we are going out on the field as of today. After 15 days, we start receiving reinforcement applications. On Thursday, we enter the neighborhood and continue our demolition. We will meet again in April and share the details of our disaster action plan with you. Although we did not attend our meetings, we attended the meetings of all our institutions with full motivation and will continue to do so. Let's change this order, which produces slow and insidious massacres in our cities and takes our lives away from us, together. Let's start now and turn all our cities into earthquake resistant cities with a 5-year plan, a 10-year plan and a 20-year plan. May our fate not be like the fate of other civilizations that rose in these lands and were destroyed by earthquakes. I wish that the mobilization we started to make this ancient city we live in an earthquake-resistant city will bring good results for the people of Istanbul, and I present my respects.”