Number of Emergency Assembly Areas in İstanbul 'Reduced from 407 to 77'

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The Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB) and İstanbul City Defense have said that the number of emergency assembly areas have been reduced from 407 to 77 since the Kocaeli earthquake in 1999.

Many assembly areas have been zoned for construction and shopping malls and residences were built on the areas, they added.

People can check the e-state application for the emergency assembly zones in areas they live.

CLICK - Erdoğan: There are tens of thousands of assembly zones in İstanbul

Chamber of Civil Engineers İstanbul Chairperson Nusret Suna told bianet last month that three out of four emergency assembly areas have been zoned for construction since 2002.

"The Provincial Disaster Coordination Committee chaired by the Governor of İstanbul 2002 determined 496 assembly areas and 562 escape roads.

"So, what happened to those 496 areas since then? Three out of four have been zoned for construction. Residences, shopping malls were constructed in all areas. They were opened for rentier. We have only 77.

"On March 1, 2018, Governor of İstanbul Vasip Şahin said there are 2,285 earthquake assembly areas in İstanbul. 'There enough assembly areas', he said.

"There is a graph that shows where to gather but the areas are schoolyards, mosque yards, empty areas, parks and yards of some housings. There is a diversion here.

"When we say, 'earthquake assembly zone', we understand places that have electricity, water, infrastructure to meet the needs. There are areas where tents, containers can be set up. Places where five or 10 people can stand and wait are not earthquake assembly zones." (HA/VK)