ADIYAMAN PROVINCE EARTHQUAKE RELIEF PROJECT
On February 6, 2023, two devastating earthquakes measuring 7.7 and 7.6 on the Richter scale occurred in the province of Kahramanmaraş, causing major damage in ten provinces in southern and southeastern Turkey: Adana, Adıyaman, Diyarbakır, Gaziantep, Hatay, Hatay, Kahramanmaraş, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye, Osmaniye and Şanliurfa. According to official figures, the death toll reached 44,218. The death toll is generally assumed to be much higher, as many people were buried in the early days without being recorded.
The province and city of Adiyaman, located in the northeastern part of the disaster zone, was one of the worst affected areas.
The earthquake occurred in the worst possible conditions, during an unusually heavy snowfall. Almost all government buildings collapsed and many officials lost their lives. In the early days, the dead could not be registered, while religious rules require burial within 24 hours. Due to gruelling weather conditions and road closures, USAR teams reached Adiyaman too late, leading to inevitable rise of the death toll. To date, 13,730 buildings with 44,817 units (houses, workshops, offices) have collapsed or are counted as heavily damaged (to be demolished). Another 4,338 buildings (17,489 units) are categorized as “moderately damaged” and in need of major repair and retrofitting to make them habitable again.
The districts of Adiyaman were unevenly affected. Gölbaşı town, the center of the district of the same name, is located on the fault line and was 80% destroyed. Besni district and town were also heavily damaged. Çelikhan and Gerger are the least affected districts, followed by Samsat, Kahta and Sincik. Currently, 9,896 village houses are uninhabitable and 1,401 barns have collapsed.
The earthquake has destroyed the livelihoods of both city dwellers and villagers. No shops are open, many businesses have been destroyed or their furniture and equipment damaged. The organized industrial zone is still partially operational. However, it will be difficult to restart undamaged businesses immediately, as workers have died or fled. Livestock farming is an important source of income in the villages. Many animals died in the earthquake and mortality is high as numerous barns collapsed. Taking advantage of the villagers’ plight, traders are buying the remaining livestock at prices well below market value. Agricultural equipment has also been damaged and some of it is unusable. A complicating factor that can easily be overlooked is that large numbers of people from the city have sought refuge in less affected villages. In the long term, this could lead to major food, shelter and public health problems for these villages.
IKASI is planning a relief project with the following components for earthquake victims in the districts and villages of Adıyaman:
- Distribution of relief supplies in the villages and district centers of Adiyaman and in tent and container camps in and around the city
- Supporting livelihoods and revitalizing the economic life of villages
- Rehabilitation of children, especially in villages
- Information center for people affected by the earthquake
- Women’s Community Center (in cooperation with Eastern and Southeastern Business Women’s Association – DOGUNKAD)
IKASI plans to distribute relief supplies to rural earthquake victims and urban residents in camps. Since urban needs are better met by other organizations, IKASI will focus mainly on rural areas. Even in normal times, villagers are among the most vulnerable groups in the region.
Our project is supported by CORDAID.
OUR ACTIVITIES
– The contract for our project supported by Cordaid was signed on March 16, 2023.
– We established a project field team.
– We are in the process of identifying 20 villages and 400 families that we will support under our project.
– We are about to finish collecting information about the information office we will set up in the city center; we are preparing a small information brochure.
– Our procurement activities are underway and we have published tender announcements on our website.
– Our project partner, ÇAÇA (Children Under the Same Roof) Association, is continuing their preparatory work and will start their activities at the end of April.
– Apart from all these activities, we regularly attend ECHO’s weekly meetings in Adıyaman and exchange information.
Images from Our Activities
