Lessons from Turkey to Pakistan: Natural disasters are exacerbated by human greed

Natural disasters are unavoidable and, in the case of earthquakes, almost impossible to accurately predict. But the damage they cause can certainly be mitigated and, with diligence and foresight, the loss of life can be reduced. As Turkiye and Syria mourn the devastating quake which has claimed over 40,000 lives so far, questions are being asked as to whether this level of devastation was in fact unavoidable, and how much was in fact the inevitable result of greed, negligence and corruption. 

Errant builders are being arrested and the Turkish vice president is promising strict punishments for those who did not adhere to building codes and regulations. Turkiye, which is highly prone to earthquakes, has repeatedly revised and strengthened its building codes with the stated aim of making buildings earthquake resistant. On paper, the system works perfectly but in reality, it is anything but. Repeated ‘zoning amnesties’ have been given by Turkish governments, which essentially amount to builders paying fines and having their buildings declared up-to-code and earthquake resistant even when they are clearly not. These measures are lucrative for the government, which netted some $2 billion USD in the last amnesty scheme and another such law was set to be passed just a few days before this quake. The government has also denied repeated motions from the opposition for establishing an independent oversight committee. On the ground, a simple bribe is enough to have inspections waived and clearance certificates obtained.

The consequences are painfully visible: the one building left standing almost undamaged in the city of Kahram maras is the chamber of Turkish architects and engineers, which was built according to the letter of the code while buildings dubbed ‘earthquake resistant’ have been flattened in an eerie reminder of what happened in Izmit in 1999 where, after the quake, rescue teams reported that the cement had been mixed with so much sand that it crumbled in their hands. 24 years later, nothing has changed.

Neither of the two civic agencies charged with enforcing building codes in Muzaffarabad employ a single structural engineer, meaning they wouldn’t be able to spot a structural flaw even if they wanted to. 

Zarrar Khuhro

Pakistan also sits atop a seismic zone; Muzaffarabad, which was nearly levelled in the 2005 quake, is built almost on the juncture of the Indian and the Eurasian plates, making earthquakes an inevitability. 

After the 2005 quake, affected families in Muzaffarabad were meant to be relocated from the most vulnerable and hazardous areas to satellite townships, while in the city itself, open spaces were to be set aside for people to rush to in case of another quake. Zones were created which determined what kind of construction was allowed, with only light construction permitted in hazard areas and multi-story buildings in those zones prohibited, as was building houses on mountain slopes. All new construction was to be according to a strict code.

Eighteen years later, to no one’s surprise, it’s business as usual. While some public sector construction has been done according to code, private construction has largely ignored the rules with no oversight from local authorities. Of the six satellite towns that were planned, only two actually exist and the process for allotment of plots in those two is dubious at best. The result is that many residents had no choice but to remain in dangerous and often damaged houses which they repaired to the best of their ability and resources. Then there was also an influx from other areas of AJK, such as Neelum valley, which then led to more construction with the result that Muzaffarabad city is now more congested than it was in 2005. Part of the reason for this is the unwillingness of residents to surrender any land for the proposed pathways that would make evacuation and rescue easier, but the greater blame must lie with civic authorities that have turned a blind eye to such violations and are in fact accused of issuing clearance certificates in exchange for bribes. There’s also the question of capability: neither of the two civic agencies charged with enforcing these codes employ a single structural engineer, meaning that they wouldn’t be able to spot a structural flaw even if they wanted to. The result is that, today, multi-story concrete buildings exist in zones where only ‘light frame structures’ were to be allowed. Houses have been built on mountain slopes, almost one on top of the other and if, God forbid, a quake were to strike, these will collapse in rows, like a cascade of doom. 

Now if this is the case with Muzaffarabad, what is the situation in Karachi, which sits dangerously close to the junction of the Indian, Arabian and Eurasian plates and where the very mention of building codes elicits hysterical laughter? 

If you simply google ‘building collapse in Karachi’ you’ll be flooded with stories of shoddily constructed buildings simply collapsing under their own weight without the aid of any magnitude of earthquake. In fact, the Sindh Building Control Authority’s committee on dangerous buildings in 2012 warned that hundreds of buildings in Kharadar, Mithadar and Lyari were so dilapidated that even a tremor measuring 2 on the richter scale would bring them down. 

Were a quake of the magnitude that hit Turkiye and Syria to occur near Karachi, it is safe to say that large parts of the city would be utterly demolished and that the urban sprawl and congestion, already difficult to navigate, would make it impossible for rescue teams to access areas in time. The lack of any real local governmental structures and disaster planning means that, if the nightmare comes true, Karachiites will largely be forced to fend for themselves, aided by the charitable and relief organizations that have emerged to fill the vacuum left by the state.

One thing is certain though: when disaster does strike, we will mourn and mark it down as an Act of God while ignoring the human greed, corruption and negligence that make natural disasters so much worse.

- Zarrar Khuhro is a Pakistani journalist who has worked extensively in both the print and electronic media industry. He is currently hosting a talk show on Dawn News. Twitter: @ZarrarKhuhro