Amid a tough economy and record inflation, survivors of Turkiye quake hope not to be forgotten in May 14 polls
On Feb 6 this year, devastating earthquakes rocked southern Turkiye, killing over 50,000 people and leaving survivors with the daunting task of stitching together a new post-quake life.
HATAY, Turkiye: As Turkiye president Recep Tayyip Erdogan seeks re-election this weekend, polls have shown he is locked in a tight race with an opposition coalition, especially in areas hit by two major earthquakes back in February.
Voters in Turkiye head to the polls on Sunday (May 14), with the incumbent president looking to remain in office after 20 years in power.
The scars of the double disaster three months ago remain visible in cities and towns across southern Turkiye.
On Feb 6 this year, the first of a pair of devastating earthquakes rocked the region, killing over 50,000 people and leaving survivors with the daunting task of stitching together a new post-quake life.
REBUILDING A CITY
The city of Kahramanmaras was the epicentre of one of the quakes.
“After our shops were destroyed, believe me, none of us were aware if we were still alive or not. Then they called us and told us they would open up some shops. We applied for it and I won this place in the lottery,” tailor Ali Koruk told CNA.
He said the earthquake was “a disaster that came from God” and not caused by any political party, so “it won’t affect anyone’s decision when it comes to voting” in the election.
Following the disaster, the local Association of Civil Engineers was tasked with checking which buildings remained habitable, and which ones were damaged beyond repair and had to be rebuilt.
Mr Mustafa Akyol, who sits on the Board of Architects and Engineers in Kahramanmaras, said: “Before, there were people who obtained contractor certificates with a small amount of money. But this earthquake showed us that the buildings that were constructed by professionals were not damaged.”
With the arrival of spring, ground has been broken on some building sites, and some families have already collected the keys to their new homes.
Earthquake survivor Remzi Kavak, who received his new keys from President Erdogan himself, said that he had been living in a tent with 15 other people after the disaster.
“The president told us we would get new houses built within three months. But 45 days earlier than he promised, he handed us the key to our house. We are grateful to our state and president,” he told CNA.
President Erdogan had ambitiously pledged to rehome all earthquake survivors within one year, culminating at the centre of his re-election campaign.
THE WAIT GOES ON
But not everyone has been so lucky, as there is a long waiting list.
Hatay Province in southern Turkiye was once home to 1.6 million people, but is now virtually a ghost town.
It is situated less than an hour's drive from the border with Syria. Fleeing the civil war back home, many Syrians have sought refuge there in recent years.
The earthquake dealt a devastating blow to a community that already had little.
Syrian refugee Abdulrahman Latouf said: "It’s so bad. Many families over there have lost some people, like children. The feeling of loss is so bad. I don’t see anything in the future. Maybe we are waiting for something good but we don’t know what it is.”
Many earthquake survivors fear their plight could be overshadowed by other issues in the country, such as a tough economy and record inflation, as Turkiye’s 61 million eligible voters prepare to go to the polls.
