On the second anniversary of the devastating earthquakes that struck Türkiye on Feb. 6, 2023, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan re-expressed sorrow for the victims and their families while vowing to continue recovery efforts to rebuild quake-hit regions.
"On that fateful day, our streets were filled with rubble, and our hearts were heavy with grief. Today, those same streets are coming back to life with the laughter and hopeful faces of our children and young people," Erdoğan said at an event held on Thursday in Adıyaman, one of the cities hit by the deadly tremors.
Acknowledging the immense loss suffered by thousands of families, Erdoğan extended his condolences once again, pledging that the government would not rest until every survivor had a home. "By the end of the year, we will have completed 453,000 housing units. We will not leave a single citizen without a home or a workplace," he assured.
He also highlighted the extensive infrastructure efforts underway in the affected regions. "We are completely renewing more than 11,000 kilometers of drinking water, sewage and stormwater pipelines," he said, emphasizing the government's commitment to restoring essential services.
Despite the challenges, he reaffirmed Türkiye’s determination to rebuild and support those affected. "No loss can ever be forgotten, and no wound can fully heal. But we will continue to stand together, ensuring that no one is left behind in this journey of recovery."
Addressing the financial toll of the disaster, Erdoğan revealed the immense cost Türkiye had endured. "The 'disaster of the century' has directly cost our country $104 billion (TL 3.73 trillion), with indirect costs reaching $150 billion," he said.
Reflecting on the government's immediate response, he detailed the extensive mobilization efforts. "From the very first moment of the earthquake, we deployed every available resource and dispatched all our institutions to the disaster area. Our search and rescue teams, health care workers, laborers, volunteers and civil society organizations came together as one – united in strength, resilience and determination."
He also lashed out at the criticism lauded by the opposition in the aftermath of the disaster. "In those days, when some questioned ‘Where is the state?’ for political gain after the Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquakes, we responded firmly: ‘The state is with its people.'"
Education was another focal point of the recovery efforts, with Erdoğan announcing that "the number of classrooms has reached 132,168. So far, we have completed the construction of 524 schools and 7,500 classrooms."
The president further detailed the government's efforts.
"Construction work on the 3,000-meter (9,840-foot) runway at Hatay Airport is ongoing. We are bringing a new runway to Hatay that will accommodate wide-body aircraft," he said.
"The Ministry of Health has completed 110 health care facilities with a total of 5,588 beds in the earthquake zone, while the construction of 92 health care facilities with a total of 5,750 beds is still ongoing," he noted.
He added, "We have allocated TL 14.755 billion for 15 organized industrial zones and 17 industrial site projects in 11 provinces affected by the earthquake."
"In two years, we have made TL 30 billion in agricultural support payments across 11 provinces, invested TL 20 billion in drinking and agricultural irrigation, and will invest another TL 46 billion."
On the anniversary, the Presidency's Directorate of Communications launched the "Unity of the Century" campaign, aimed at showcasing the extraordinary solidarity between the state and the people. As part of the initiative, a book titled "The 2nd Year of the Century’s Disaster: Reconstruction and Revival Efforts" was published, offering a comprehensive account of the two-year recovery journey.
Additionally, a video highlighting the collective efforts in rebuilding and demonstrating nationwide solidarity was released on the directorate’s digital platform.
Parallel to these efforts, the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) reported that over 73,000 aftershocks have been recorded since the earthquakes, and the work continues to mitigate future risks and ensure public safety.
The Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) also shared notable progress in restoring mosques across the affected provinces. Over the past two years, 2,200 mosques in 11 provinces have been restored, with 3,811 mosques damaged during the disaster, 982 of which were completely destroyed. These mosques have now been reopened for worship, and new ones are being constructed to meet the growing needs of the communities.
