In 2023, a powerful earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale shook Turkey, leaving behind massive destruction. According to official data, the disaster completely destroyed 39,000 buildings and caused serious damage to another 200,000 homes. The southern city of Antakya took the brunt of the disaster, but two years later it is showing impressive rates of recovery, writes bigasia.ru with reference to Daily Sabah.

The historic city center, which was reduced to ruins after the disaster, is now being revived. After clearing the rubble, large-scale construction began under the supervision of architect Deniz Eskiocak. A team of more than 300 specialists worked day and night, trying to provide the victims with new housing as soon as possible.

Experts believe that the mass collapse of buildings in this seismically active region was the result of negligence by construction companies. The use of low-quality materials and disregard for building codes led to tragic consequences. Now builders are making special efforts to restore the trust of residents, conducting enhanced quality control of new buildings.

“I saw with my own eyes how much concrete and steel was used to build our house. If another earthquake happens, I am sure these buildings will stand. They give me confidence, I feel truly safe here,” said one of the local residents.

The earthquake that occurred on February 6, 2023, was the most destructive in the region in the past 80 years. The catastrophe claimed the lives of more than 50 thousand people in Turkey and Syria, more than 100 thousand were injured. About 1.5 million people were left homeless, the destruction affected more than 800 thousand buildings. The tremors were felt in neighboring countries – Iraq, Israel, Armenia and the Caucasus.