Turkey’s earthquakes show the deadly extent of construction scams

Summary

In Turkey, two earthquakes of magnitudes 7.8 and 7.5 recently struck, resulting in the deadliest quake in modern Turkish history. The death toll has now reached 42,000 across Turkey and Syria. Shoddy construction methods, corruption, and bad policymaking have been blamed for the disaster, as government inspections are often weak, building permits are easy to acquire, and there are often informal negotiations between developers and local authorities. The government of Recep Tayyip Erdogan is largely to blame, along with its predecessors, as well as municipalities, developers, and planners. To prevent similar disasters in the future, politics must stay out of urban development, supervision must improve, and patronage networks must be broken up.

Q&As

AI Comments

👍 This article does a great job of exploring the devastating effects of construction scams in Turkey, and how to prevent them in the future.

👎 This article fails to provide any concrete solutions to the issue of construction scams in Turkey.

AI Discussion

Me: It's about the recent earthquakes in Turkey and how construction scams and corruption are to blame for the death toll. It's estimated that more than 42,000 people were killed.

Me: The article talks about how builders were cutting corners and ignoring building codes in order to undercut prices, which is why so many buildings collapsed when the earthquakes hit. It also discusses how the government and municipalities are to blame for the deaths, due to weak oversight and inadequate inspections. Plus, the president's urban renewal schemes and construction amnesties made the problem much worse.

Friend: That's really awful! It's terrible that so many people lost their lives because of corruption and negligence.

Me: It really is. And the article points out that this kind of tragedy could happen again if things don't change from the top down. That's why it's so important for governments to be held accountable and for proper building regulations and oversight to be put in place.

Action items

• Research the building codes and regulations in your local area to ensure that they are up to date and enforced.
• Reach out to your local government representatives to advocate for stronger building codes and better oversight of construction projects.
• Educate yourself on the dangers of corruption in the construction industry and how to identify it.

Technical terms

Earthquake

A sudden and violent shaking of the ground, sometimes causing great destruction, as a result of movements within the earth's crust or volcanic action.

Magnitude

The size or intensity of something, especially a physical quantity such as force or energy.

Death toll

The number of people killed in an accident, disaster, or war.

Reinforced steel

Steel that has been strengthened by the addition of other materials, such as concrete, to increase its strength and durability.

Active fault line

A fault line that is currently active and has the potential to cause an earthquake.

Catastrophe

A sudden and widespread disaster.

Rubble

The broken pieces of stone, brick, and concrete resulting from the destruction of a building.

Stench

A strong, unpleasant smell.

Exhumation

The act of digging up a body or remains from the ground.

Rent-seeking

The practice of seeking to increase one's share of existing wealth without creating new wealth.

Building codes

Regulations that specify the design, construction, and materials used in buildings.

Urban renewal

The process of renovating and redeveloping urban areas to improve their economic and social conditions.

Stirrups

A loop of metal or other material used to support the foot in riding.

Buckling

To bend or collapse under pressure.

Informal negotiations

Negotiations that are not conducted in a formal setting.

Conscience

A person's moral sense of right and wrong, viewed as acting as a guide to one's behaviour.

Patronage networks

A system of patronage in which people in positions of power use their influence to provide jobs, contracts, or other benefits to their supporters.

Amnesties

A general pardon for offenses, especially political offenses, against a government, often granted before any trial or conviction.

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