Adıyaman, one of the provinces profoundly affected by the unprecedented earthquakes that struck southeastern Türkiye, is making impressive strides in recovery, overcoming significant challenges after the second earthquake.
In a press meeting with international media on Sunday, Governor Osman Varol said the city has now largely been cleared of rubble and the heavily damaged buildings are now in demolition phase, while newly built residential units are ready to be delivered to the citizens affected by the deadly quake.
During the earthquake, 124 buildings had fully collapsed, Varol said, while also stating that 354 buildings were heavily damaged and 38,576 were moderately damaged in Adıyaman.
Although the epicenter was not the Adıyaman province, the 11 provinces nearby the Pazarcık district of Kahramanmaras also suffered heavily. Adiyaman was reported to be among the cities that witnessed major destruction followed by southeastern Hatay province. The twin earthquakes on Feb. 6, 2023, resulted in over 53,000 casualties and more than 100,000 injuries, the majority of which occurred in Kahramanmaraş, Hatay, Malatya and Adıyaman. Considered among the most severe earthquakes globally, their impact extended to other provinces, including Gaziantep, Kilis, Diyarbakır, Adana, Osmaniye, Elazığ and Şanlıurfa.
Varol stated that as part of the humanitarian aid and social assistance efforts, aid materials (food, cleaning products, clothing, home textiles) were distributed to approximately 264,779 households, totaling TL 5,653,631,677 ($185,040,393) while social assistance cards were issued to 9,145 people.
Psychosocial support services were extended to 134,997 children and 133,027 women through various activities, interviews, workshops and more.
In terms of shelter, the initial setup and distribution of 33,112 tents were made with 118,405 citizens settling in container cities. While the total number of new post-earthquake residences is 44,352, comprising 7,167 in urban areas, 4,579 in central rural areas and 9,840 in district rural areas is under construction, Varol said.
The Ministry of Family and Social Services provided support worth TL 62,135,087.
Assuring the healthy education progress among the students of the region 210 container classrooms with 140 prefabricated classrooms were set up enrolling 6,566 students attending classes, while a 5.23% decrease is seen in the number of students post-earthquake.
Varol underscored the collaborative efforts between the government and various agencies to restore normalcy and provide essential support for a resilient recovery in Adıyaman. The progress in Adıyaman reflects collective resilience and determination in the face of adversity.
Various support partners, including the Provincial Directorate of Youth and Sports, the Provincial Directorate of National Education, the Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism, the Green Crescent, the Worldwide Doctors Association, and the Red Crescent (Kızılay), have collectively provided assistance to thousands of individuals.
Home to 16 different civilizations, many ancient sites in Adıyaman, including the mysterious Mount Nemrut, the site of the ancient Kingdom of Commagene, and other areas, were affected by the earthquake. Governor Varol said significant architectural pieces from the Ulu (Great) Mosque, Kab Mosque, Eskisaray Mosque, Musalla Mosque and Yenipınar Mosque were carefully collected and preserved for use in the restoration process. The restoration of the Karakuş Tumulus, previously in ruins, has been completed and opened to visitors, while the restoration process has commenced in the Old Kahta Castle.
