İstanbul University Buildings Damaged in Earthquake Constructed from Sea Sand

*Photos: Twitter

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The İstanbul University Rectorship has decided to empty several buildings of the school after they were damaged in the earthquake on September 26.

The Basic Sciences building and the library of the Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Dentistry have been emptied after yesterday's (October 2) order.

Students of the Faculty of Dentistry have been staged protests since the day after the earthquake as cracks occurred in the building they study.

Students stage a sit-in at the Faculty of Dentistry.

The Governorship of İstanbul yesterday released a written statement on the damage assessment in the Faculty of Dentistry and the Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine.

It said the damage assessment was conducted by the Ministry of Environment and Urbanism and it was found that the quality of concrete is "low" in seven buildings that belong to the university.

There is "significant structural damage" in the columns of the buildings that was caused by both the earthquake and physical conditions, the governorship added.

The concrete used in the basements of the seven building was manufactured from sea sand, according to the report.

"Besides, numerous columns were corroded because of humidity," the statement said, and added that seven buildings are decided to be emptied.

Another three buildings at the Cerrahpaşa Campus are slightly damaged and the rectorship will decide about continuing to use these, the governorship said. One of these buildings is the Children's Emergency building at the university hospital. (RT/VK)