'Mountains of debris' rise in Türkiye's quake-hit regions

Photos: AA

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Debris removal work is continuing in Maraş in southern Türkiye, the epicenter of the February 6 earthquakes, especially on the Azerbaycan and Trabzon Avenues where there has been vast destruction.

Operators of heavy machinery and drivers of trucks coming from many parts of the country are working in the city.

The debris is disposed in an area in Karacasu neighborhood in the Dulkadiroğlu district which was identified as a debris disposal area.

Security forces are keeping watch in this area for 24 hours.

Warning from Environment Engineers

The Chamber of Environment Engineers (ÇMO) affiliated with the Union of Chambers of Engineers and Architects (TMMOB) estimates that 104 million tones of construction and debris waste will be created as a result of the February 6 earthquakes.

The chamber has also noted that such waste poses a risk for public health and requests that the necessary measures should be taken for asbestos and dust emissions and for the arable lands not to be affected.

Giant construction waste estimated

ÇMO published a report on February 20 on waste management in the earthquake-hit area. According to this report "a giant construction and debris waste will emerge of 104 million tones with an optimistic estimate assuming that 8-16 tones of waste will emerge for each person in the region hit by the earthquake."

Another problem will be the domestic waste according to the report. It says, "The domestic solid waste that will be left behind by the people who are staying in cars, tents or on the street setting up fires and also those who will be moving to the tent cities (organic wastes, packaging waste, etc.) cannot be collected regularly. This will pose a serious threat for human health and also the environment." (TY/PE)