INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE TO TURKEY 2023 EARTHQUAKE: A POLICY ANALYSIS

Authors

  • John R. Fisher Utah Valley University, USA
  • Muhaedin Bela Institute of Emergency Preparedness, N. Macedonia
  • Zijavere Keqmezi Rexhepi Kosovo Customs

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.35120/kij6001175f

Keywords:

earthquake responses, disaster recovery, emergency preparedness, readiness, disaster agreements, mutual aid

Abstract

Western Balkan states, among them Kosovo and North Macedonia, joined others from around the world in offering aid to Turkey, which, along with Syria, was hit by two deadly earthquakes on February 6, 2023. The epicenter of the 7.8-magnitude earthquake was in Kahramanmaras province near the border with Syria.
As a result of the earthquakes, there were 50,783 deaths, 297 missing and 107,204 injured across 11 of the 17 affected provinces of Turkey. At least 15.73 million people and 4 million buildings were affected. About 345,000 apartments were destroyed. Over 1.5 million people were left homeless.
Over 100 nations and 16 international organizations offered aid to the earthquake victims in Turkey. In addition, 11 countries contributed search and rescue teams accompanied by specially trained dogs to locate survivors trapped in the rubble. In contrast, aid to Syria was comparatively less, primarily due to Western sanctions on the nation and government-imposed restrictions on humanitarian organizations operating beyond their controlled regions.
The paper conducts an analysis of ten existing international response organizations, examining their agreements and procedures in disaster response efforts. It investigates the history and effectiveness of these organizations in managing disaster situations, with a specific focus on their roles in addressing the Turkey and Syria disasters. The paper assesses their effectiveness in the context of the February 2023 earthquake.
Furthermore, the paper explores the concept of mutual aid mechanisms, which are commonly utilized by countries worldwide for disaster response. These agreements, whether bilateral or multilateral, are typically established at different levels of government, ranging from local to national and even international. While the specifics of these agreements may vary among nations, the overarching goal is to create a framework for sharing resources, personnel, and expertise during times of emergency.
Additionally, the paper discusses the response efforts of two Balkan countries, Kosovo and North Macedonia, which provided assistance such as search and rescue teams, handlers with dogs, and material aid like blankets and stretchers. Notably, these nations offered their support independently, without being part of any international organization. Their response was established through direct communication with Turkey. It was characterized by its immediacy and sincerity,
Finally, the paper draws conclusions based on an evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of existing response systems, offering recommendations to policymakers to enhance overall disaster response procedures.

References

FEMA. (n.d.). Natural hazards. https://hazards.fema.gov/nri/natural-hazards

Halili, E. (2023, February 20). Kosovo Rescue Team Given Medals after Returning from Turkey. Albanian Daily News. https://albaniandailynews.com/news/kosovo-rescue-team-given-medals-after-returning-from-turkey

ICAO. (2023). Search Results for “Turkish earthquake.” https://www.icao.int/Search/pages/results.aspx?k=Turkish%20earthquake

IFRC. (2023, March 7). Red Cross, Red Crescent Teams Responding to Earthquake in Türkiye and Syria. https://www.redcross.org/about-us/news-and-events/news/2023/red-crescent-teams-responding-to-earthquake-in-turkey-and-syria.html

Inanc, Y.S. (2023, February 19). Turkey earthquake: 'State ignored our warnings', say engineers and architects. Middle East Eye. https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/turkey-earthquake-state-ignored-warnings-say-engineers-architects

OCHA. (2023, February 19). Türkiye: 2023 Earthquakes Situation Report No. 2. ReliefWeb. https://reliefweb.int/report/turkiye/turkiye-2023-earthquakes-situation-report-no-2-19-february-2023

OCHA. (2023, February 21). Türkiye: 2023 Earthquakes Situation Report No. 3. ReliefWeb.

https://reliefweb.int/report/turkiye/turkiye-2023-earthquakes-situation-report-no-3-21-february-2023

OCHA. (2023, August 15). Humanitarian Transition Overview - Türkiye Earthquake Response.

https://www.unocha.org/ publications/report/turkiye/humanitarian-transition-overview-turkiye-earthquake-response-august-2023

Oculus News. (2023, February 6). Vjosa Osmani authorizes the Kosovo Security Force to help Turkey after the earthquake. https://www.ocnal.com/2023/02/vjosa-osmani-authorizes-kosovo-security.html

Oztaskin, M. (2023, May 23). How Erdogan won Turkey’s earthquake-shattered south. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/05/23/turkey-election-earthquakes-erdogan-kilicdaroglu/

Shah, S. (2023, February 9). Thousands of Buildings Collapsed in Turkey. Devastation Was Preventable, Experts Say. Time Magazine. https://time.com/6254024/turkey-syria-earthquake-building-2023/

UKEssays. (November 2018). Benefits and Challenges of Mutual Aid Agreements. https://www.ukessays.com/essays/politics/benefits-and-challenges-of-mutual-aid-agreements.php?vref=1

UNDRR (2023). Search Results for “Turkish Earthquake.” https://www.undrr.org/search?text=Turkish+earthquake

UN News. (2023, February 6). UN agencies launch emergency response after devastating Türkiye and Syria quakes. United Nations. https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/02/1133177

USGS. (n.d.) Moment magnitude, Richter scale - what are the different magnitude scales, and why are there so many? https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/moment-magnitude-richter-scale-what-are-different-magnitude-scales-and-why-are-there-so-many

Yildiz, G. (2023, February 21). Three Things That Went Wrong In Turkey's Earthquake Response. Forbes Magazine. https://www.forbes.com/sites/guneyyildiz/2023/02/21/three-things-that-went-wrong-in-turkeys-earthquake-response/?sh=49546a355bd4

Downloads

Published

2023-09-30

How to Cite

R. Fisher, J., Bela, M., & Keqmezi Rexhepi, Z. (2023). INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE TO TURKEY 2023 EARTHQUAKE: A POLICY ANALYSIS. KNOWLEDGE - International Journal , 60(1), 175–180. https://doi.org/10.35120/kij6001175f