On February 6th, 2023, southern and central Turkey and northern and western Syria were hit by a magnitude 7.8 earthquake with more than 2,100 aftershocks. The earthquake was estimated to have affected 14 million people and was the strongest earthquake recorded in Turkey since the Erzincan earthquake in 1939.
Over four million buildings were affected in the earthquake and roughly 345,000 apartment buildings destroyed. While search and rescue teams worked tirelessly to save those trapped beneath the rubble, residents (particularly in the Hatay Province and other regions throughout the country) have criticized governmental response, citing above all poor organization and implementation of rescue efforts.
With 1.5 million now homeless, nearly 16% of Turkey’s population is believed to be directly impacted by the disaster. The disaster plan created by this group of students details procedures for earthquake management and response in Hatay. The procedures will ensure preparedness of the impacted communities and relevant agencies in taking actions to mitigate the disaster’s impact.