Survivors recall Turkey quake horror

Many Muslims in Turkey debated the meaning of the quake

In this story: Psychological trauma Thousands still live in tents Too scared to live in solid houses RELATED STORIES, SITES

LONDON (CNN) -- Tens of thousands of earthquake survivors across Turkey will recall the horrors of a year ago on Thursday when their lives were changed forever in a 45-second tremor. The "disaster of the century", as officials described it, killed 17,000 people, left 50,000 injured and made 200,000 homeless.

The quake measured 7.4 on the Richter scale, flattening buildings like packs of cards in the north-west of the country. Its epicentre was Izmit, 104 kilometres (65 miles) from Istanbul which also suffered the collapse of dozens of structures, causing up to $6.5 billion worth of damage.

INTERACTIVE Chronology of major earthquakes over the last 20 years   MESSAGE BOARD Nature's wrath

Oil refineries caught fire, later causing acid rain, explosions rocked the rubbled area as leaking gas ignited and health workers from more than 21 countries battled to prevent the spread of typhoid fever, cholera and dysentery.

Less than three months later, on November 12, a second quake struck just 100 kilometres away near the town of Duzce. Hundreds more people were killed and yet more householders joined the growing ranks of those living in tent cities. And in June this year a third quake struck 110 kilometres north of Ankara.

Psychological trauma

But one year on from the most devastating quake the survivors are the victims of psychological trauma as well as physical privation, according to the International Red Cross.

"Not only are survivors showing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of their experiences, but life in tent cities and prefabricated settlements is adding to their woes," said Thomas Doyle of the British Red Cross.

"Unemployment, poverty and general living conditions are causing depression and boredom. It's believed that inadequate mental health facilities and an unwillingness on the part of sufferers to acknowledge any fears or problems means it may take up to 10 years before people recover," he said.

Another major quake is predicted by seismologists to hit Istanbul and the surrounding area at any time. People are being counselled to help them with their fears.

Also 28 hospitals and schools are being rebuilt and a national disaster preparedness programme has been set up which includes stockpiling relief goods for more than 100,000 people, prefab hospitals and clinics and satellite communications.

Doyle added: "The effects of the earthquakes that have struck Turkey in the last year will remain for many years to come but we are committed to meeting the long-term needs of the vulnerable and helping people rebuild their lives."

The Red Cross has raised $150 million in aid including food, shelter, water sanitation, field hospitals and search and rescue teams.

The Turkish Red Crescent, with help from the International Federation of the Red Cross, provided 64 percent of all tents, 76 percent of blankets, 95 percent of bedding, and 84 percent of hot meals.

Thousands still live in tents

More than 30,000 people are still living in tents and 150,000 in prefabricated shelters.

The Turkish Government has started a programme to build permanent housing -- work on 1,500 houses in Golcuk has started with a further 1,100 to come.

Four mobile clinics are operating in Yalova and Duzce and specialist units treating those with spinal cord injuries have been set up. More than 350,000 hygiene parcels have been distributed.

Facilities including computers with the Internet have started up and sports grounds and recreational parks have been provided.

Too scared to live in solid houses

But the overriding concern is to treat the psychologically damaged, many of whom are still too scared to live under a solid roof.

After the quake there were some miraculous moments when survivors were pulled from piles of rubble many days after the quake.

After the initial shock came anger at allegations that many buildings had been shoddily built without proper legal regulation, causing them to fall down more easily.

Much of Turkey sits on an earthquake-prone zone known as the Anatolia fault. On June 27, 1998 a quake in the country killed 144 people and injured more than 1,500 in and around the city of Adana.

As the country struggles to rebuild it is receiving a huge boost in funds from European tourists who are flocking to enjoy the beach areas that were mostly unaffected by the quake.

The country is popular with Germans, Russians and the British as a holiday destination and although UK bookings dropped 20 percent last year -- down to 816,000 from the 1998 figure of one million -- the figures are now on the up once more, Joanna Marsh of the UK Turkish Tourist Board told CNN.com.

"People are flocking back which is great news for the Turkish economy. People need to be rehoused there and this will help," she said.

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Turkey appeals for bulldozers, body bags after 'disaster of century'
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August 19, 1999
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Turkish Earthquake Relief
Turkish Earthquake Internet Appeal
August 17, 1999 Izmit, Turkey Earthquake (M7.4)
Izmit, Turkey -- Earthquake Fault
Kocaeli (Izmit), Turkey, Mw 7.4 Earthquake

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