Memorial ceremony held at Ceyhan Earthquake Monument on 28th anniversary

The Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB) Chamber of Civil Engineers (IMO) Adana Branch, together with Ceyhan Municipality, organized a memorial ceremony in front of the Ceyhan Earthquake Monument on the 28th anniversary of the June 27, 1998 Ceyhan earthquake. The ceremony commemorated the 145 citizens who lost their lives in the earthquake and drew attention to the reality of earthquakes. Participants carried photographs depicting the devastating effects of the 1998 earthquake to raise awareness. IMO Adana Branch President Hıdır Çak and Ceyhan Deputy Mayor Burhan Onuk delivered speeches. The memorial program was attended by civil engineers and the people of Ceyhan.

In his speech, Hıdır Çak emphasized the critical importance of conducting an inventory of the building stock. He recalled that the 1998 earthquake had a magnitude of 6.3, causing 145 deaths and approximately 1,500 injuries. He stated that scientific evaluations after the earthquake clearly revealed that the main causes of loss of life and severe damage were structures that did not receive engineering services, inadequate construction supervision, illegal construction, and unhealthy building production processes. Çak noted that despite 28 years having passed, this situation has not fundamentally changed. He pointed out that the February 6, 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes once again demonstrated the same painful reality with much heavier costs.

Çak emphasized that most of Turkey is located on active fault lines and must live with the reality of earthquakes. He stated that the most fundamental right of citizens is to live in safe settlement areas and earthquake-resistant buildings. "Earthquake is not fate," he said, adding that being caught unprepared is the result of not taking precautions. He noted that every major earthquake shows that the problem stems not only from natural events but also from inadequate planning, insufficient supervision, and construction lacking engineering services. "It is not the earthquake that kills, but buildings that are not earthquake-resistant," he declared.

Çak stressed that the existing building stock in cities should be inventoried using scientific methods and risky buildings should be identified. He said that healthy urban transformation is not possible without identifying risks. He emphasized that the transformation process must be conducted transparently, participatorily, and based on scientific principles. He stated that engineering services must be effectively included in building production and supervision processes. He called for strengthening the independent building inspection system and full implementation of existing regulations.

Ceyhan Deputy Mayor Burhan Onuk also emphasized in his speech that buildings not resistant to earthquakes caused loss of life. He highlighted the importance of building inspection and constructing buildings in compliance with regulations. He also mentioned the need to increase the employment of engineers and architects in municipalities. The ceremony ended with the placing of carnations and roses at the Ceyhan Earthquake Monument. Participants called on authorities to increase earthquake awareness and take necessary precautions.