Turkey Earthquake Causes $34bn in Damage, Says World Bank

(CTN News) – According to a World Bank estimate, the earthquake that struck Turkey earlier this month caused $34 billion in damage. This figure reflects the magnitude of the physical destruction inflicted by the earthquake.

Residential structures, schools, hospitals, and public infrastructure were all damaged or destroyed in the February 6 earthquake and its aftershocks, and the World Bank estimated on Monday that it might cost up to $68 billion to rebuild in the 11 provinces hit hardest by the disaster.

The Bank says more than 105,000 structures have been severely damaged or destroyed.

Turkey’s high susceptibility to earthquakes and the need to increase resilience in public and private infrastructure are underscored by this tragedy, says World Bank country director Humberto Lopez.

Being one of the most in-depth examinations of the aftermath of the greatest earthquake to hit Turkey in over a century, the World Bank research emphasizes the tremendous extent of the disaster and the necessity of rebuilding.

According to the World Bank, the earthquake in Turkey and Syria killed around 50,000 people and left over 1.25 million without a house.

The earthquake has risen to prominence on the Turkish political agenda. The administration of Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been under fire for its handling of the disaster at first, then again in 2018 for an amnesty program that pardoned millions of building code violations.

Meanwhile, pro-government media in Turkey have been critical of mayors in cities where the opposition party is in charge, saying they haven’t done enough to safeguard structures in an earthquake-prone region.

 

According to the World Bank, the extraordinary intensity of the quake, its shallow depth, and a “possible lack of code compliance” with Turkey’s norms for the design and maintenance of buildings all contributed to the severity of the damage.

With an estimated $18 billion in damages, residential properties have taken the biggest financial impact, followed by $9.7 billion in losses for non-residential buildings and $6.4 billion in infrastructure losses.

Turkey earthquake damages amount to 4% of GDP, says World Bank

Preliminary estimates suggest that at least 15 hospitals have sustained moderate to severe damage. Damage to about 190 historic structures ranged from moderate to severe, necessitating expensive and specialized restoration efforts.

The World Bank estimates that the total cost to Turkey’s GDP was around 4% in 2021; this number could rise when secondary variables, such as greater material and labor costs, are factored in.

The southern province of Hatay in Turkey was affected particularly hard. Around 42% of the total value of homes in the region were lost to damage, while the “damage ratio” for commercial and institutional structures was 40% and for infrastructure, it was 34%, according to the World Bank.

Experts suggest it could take much longer than a year to restore the extensive area devastated by the earthquake, despite Erdoan’s promises to do so within a year.

Some experts and municipal officials have estimated that the expenditures may reach $100 billion, and it will be required for officials to first determine how many structures need to be demolished before developing comprehensive rebuilding plans and bringing in the necessary workers and equipment.

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