The 7.8- and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes that hit southeastern Turkey and Syria on February 6, 2023 officially took an estimated 50,000 to 60,000 lives. Entire neighborhoods were destroyed in cities such as Kahramanmaraş, Adıyaman, and Hatay, with more than 160,000 collapsed or severely damaged buildings. The region is facing a humanitarian crisis that presents immediate aid and disaster-relief challenges as well as concerns for long-term, safe, sustainable, and resilient rebuilding efforts.
“Turkey and Syria After the Earthquakes” is a series of four panel discussions curated by Collective Action for Readiness, Recovery, and Resilience (CARRRE), a collective of US-based Turkish-American architects and academics. CARRRE aims to amplify awareness among a global audience regarding the catastrophic repercussions of these earthquakes, and to provide agency to architects, planners, engineers, municipalities, and builders on the ground by assisting with local relief efforts, sharing professional expertise, and aiding in the development of long-term rebuilding strategies. These panels aim to provide an international platform for learning, debate, and actionable projects.
This first panel, Emergency Responses, will provide an overview of the affected regions, discuss ongoing response efforts, and explore avenues to pursue within the built environment to address urgent needs of impacted communities.
Key topics include:
- Emergency housing and temporary shelter
- Shelter sites and infrastructure restoration
- Unexpected challenges in relief efforts
- Enhancing preparedness for disaster relief (international examples)
The organizers are strongly encouraging that attendees make donations to Turkish Philanthropy Funds in support of the planning and rebuilding efforts.
