Balıkesir is transforming into an earthquake-resistant city.

Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality has intensified its efforts to build a city resistant to earthquakes. The municipality, which has declared an area of 5.42 hectares as an urban renewal zone and will establish a Provincial Local Earthquake Council composed of experts, has also formed a search and rescue team of 678 people.

Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality has taken action against the earthquake reality, which is one of Turkey’s most important agenda items. Upon taking office, Mayor Ahmet Akın initiated work on an effective earthquake combat plan, and with the participation of experts, he signed a scientific and academic study at the Balıkesir Transformation Congress. Based on the scientific data revealed by the Balıkesir Transformation Congress, the Metropolitan Municipality implemented important decisions for a resilient city vision and established the Balıkesir Planning Agency, made up of expert academics and scientists.

Balıkesir Metropolitan Mayor Ahmet Akın stated, “We are preparing a safe future plan for Balıkesir. We will do whatever it takes to transform this city into an earthquake-resistant city. We want to work with a sense of responsibility in cooperation with all institutions in this field. The way to an effective fight against disasters depends on the sense of responsibility of all relevant institutions and organizations, starting with our citizens.”

Establishment of the Provincial Local Earthquake Council

Intensifying its efforts for a resilient city and effective fight against earthquakes, Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality is establishing a Provincial Local Earthquake Council composed of experts. The council will consist of academics conducting scientific research at Balıkesir University, local professional chambers, urban planners, and engineers. It will analyze Balıkesir’s risk status and lead the transformation of earthquake-resistant buildings and urban renewal efforts. Mayor Ahmet Akın said, “We will work decisively under the leadership of our local experts to make Balıkesir earthquake-resistant.”

Search and rescue teams are ready

Within the scope of all these efforts, a search and rescue team of 678 people has been established in the municipality, and a total of 1,679 gathering areas along with 63 tent cities and container-capacity shelter areas are being prepared for all scenarios across the province. Additionally, within the framework of the Disaster Master Plan, data collection and management, risk analysis and mapping, risk and damage reduction efforts, emergency response, and recovery efforts are being carried out to build a Disaster Management System. The municipality has also taken action for the transformation of risky buildings within the scope of risk analysis studies. In this context, an area of 5.42 hectares within the borders of Adnan Menderes Neighborhood and Kızpınarı Neighborhood was declared an Urban Transformation and Development Project Area by the Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipal Council. Earthquake-resistant buildings will be constructed through the renewal efforts to be carried out in these areas.