The Documentary Podcast Assignment: Tempting fate - Istanbul's earthquake dilemma
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Feb 15, 2024 Discover the challenges facing Istanbul regarding earthquake risks, including political obstacles and housing inequality. Explore the rising demand for tiny houses and the analysis of concrete strength in buildings. Learn about the government's role in unsafe buildings and urban renewal, as well as the dismissive attitude towards earthquake safety in the city.
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Tiny House Escape From Trauma
- Baujubur moved into a tiny steel-reinforced house after surviving the southeast earthquake and feels safer sleeping there.
- She contrasts that security with the trauma of seeing friends trapped under collapsed buildings in Hatay.
Amnesties Multiplied Construction Risk
- Governments repeatedly issued construction amnesties that legalized unsafe buildings and increased vulnerability.
- Critics link those amnesties to higher death tolls in last year's earthquakes.
High Probability, Persistent Fault Risk
- Scientists estimate a 47% chance of a magnitude 7+ quake in the Marmara region, making the risk urgent.
- Istanbul's location on the northern Anatolian fault means it will face repeated seismic events for millions of years.