People walk past the rubble of a damaged building, in the aftermath of last year's deadly earthquake, in Jableh, Syria February 4, 2024. REUTERS/Firas Makdesi/File Photo
ANKARA (Reuters) - Two years after the deadliest and most destructive earthquake in modern Turkish history, hundreds of thousands of people remain displaced, with many still living in temporary housing, as rebuilding efforts lag behind initial targets.
Residents of Antakya, the city hardest hit, gathered at 4:17 a.m. (0117 GMT) on Thursday with laurel branches and torches to mark when the 7.8-magnitude tremor struck on February 6, 2023.
"No forgetting, no forgiving, no reconciliation," they chanted.
The quake and its aftershocks rattled 11 Turkish provinces in the southeast and parts of northern Syria, killing more than 55,000 people and injuring more than 107,000.
It reduced entire towns to rubble, including homes, hospitals, and historical landmarks especially in Hatay, home of Antakya, and also Kahramanmaras and Adiyaman.
The government has pledged to build 650,000 homes, with President Tayyip Erdogan promising in the weeks after the tremor that 319,000 would be delivered within a year.
"We are fortunate to have delivered 201,431 independent units to their rightful owners less than two years after the earthquake," Erdogan said after a cabinet meeting on Monday.
Environment and Urbanisation Minister Murat Kurum said $75 billion had been spent on rebuilding across the quake region.
The critical reconstruction phases are done, he said, adding that housing and business projects were progressing rapidly.
'STILL BLEEDING'
Many residents, however, remain in makeshift conditions, while others have left their home provinces entirely, disrupting communities and livelihoods.
Ozgur Ozel, leader of the main opposition CHP, said only 30% of the pledged reconstruction had been completed. The housing completion rate in Hatay was only 18%, he said.
"Only three out of ten who believed in Erdogan now have homes, while the other seven are still in containers or seeking refuge in the homes of relatives," Ozel said on Tuesday.
"How can they look into the eyes of those they forced to live in containers for two years and say, 'We have kept all our promises, thank God'?"
TV footage showed that police did not allow the planned early march in Hatay to take place.
"Our wounds are still fresh, still bleeding. We promise to keep this grief alive in our hearts. We are spending this dark day with our friends, united as one - neither the cold wind nor the dust of the earth saddens us," resident and activist Ozgur Tiras told the crowd. "We promise you, ancient Antakya, we will rebuild this city with our own hands."
LINGERING HARDSHIPS
International and local aid groups say a full recovery remains far off, with thousands of Turks still facing barriers to returning home.
The Hatay Earthquake Victims' Association said in a report that more than 400,000 people remain in container-home cities, facing poor sanitation, inadequate healthcare, and an uncertain future.
It also raised concerns about asbestos exposure from unregulated demolitions and land seizures under emergency decrees.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said that millions of people in Turkey and Syria were still struggling to rebuild their lives. It called the pace of reconstruction "far too slow" for such a disaster.
Delays in reconstruction hurt long-term stability and risk depopulation of the region, some aid groups say.
In Hatay, in southernmost Turkey, empty streets, shuttered businesses, and demolition work still define the city, which was once a bustling mixture of cultures and religions, and a draw for tourism.
Ankara says its response to the earthquake has been effective and on track.
Kurum, the government minister, said 423,000 homes and workplaces will be handed over to survivors by the end of 2025, adding that Turkey had allocated 584 billion Turkish lira ($19 billion) for recovery efforts.
(Reporting by Ece Toksabay; Editing by Jonathan Spicer and Gerry Doyle)
