Mersin Metropolitan Municipality, which carries out an effective work to ensure that all individuals living in Mersin can continue their lives in a healthy, peaceful and safe manner, is undertaking important projects under the coordination of the Disaster Affairs Department against possible disaster risks and crises that may occur throughout the city.
The Metropolitan Municipality, which first held the 'Mersin Disaster Management Workshop', exchanged ideas with competent names in the field and laid the foundations of all disaster management plans in this workshop. Due to its location, the 'Mersin Province Earthquake Prevention Strategic Action Plan' was created against the negativities that could occur due to earthquakes in its surroundings being felt throughout the city.
The plan, which includes short, medium and long-term actions and activities, has created an important roadmap in combating earthquake risk. Aiming to increase the durability of structures at risk due to soil liquefaction and building quality, especially on the coastal strip, and to build safer housing, the Metropolitan Municipality has implemented the 'Urban Transformation Infrastructure Planning and Social Housing Infrastructure Planning' projects.
It is aimed to develop disaster awareness in all age groups from school age to adults.
In order to increase disaster awareness in all districts of Mersin, 'Disaster Awareness Trainings' are provided for all age groups from school children to adults, aiming to create a society prepared for possible disasters. In this context, the Metropolitan Municipality, which aims to establish a wide education network by cooperating with mukhtars in order to be prepared for disasters, organized 'Disaster Awareness Training for Mukhtars'.
Planning to implement the ‘Emergency Whistle with Recycling Materials’ project, which will both protect the environment and attract people’s attention in times of disasters, the Metropolitan Municipality aims to provide citizens with both disaster safety and recycling awareness. Incorporating the opportunities created by new technologies into this process, the Metropolitan Municipality created an ‘Earthquake Simulation with VR Technology’ at the Mercan 100th Year Climate and Environment Science Center to ensure that citizens can keep their behavior under control during an earthquake and help them make the right decisions.
Continuing its efforts to become the municipality of every living creature in Mersin, the Metropolitan Municipality will continue to produce projects aimed at creating a more resilient city through projects that include city stakeholders such as public institutions and organizations, chambers, associations and foundations.
Dr. Zorlu: “We have undertaken many studies to identify and prevent disaster risks”
Mersin Metropolitan Municipality Disaster Affairs Department Director Dr. Kemal Zorlu stated that the department, which was established in 2023, has undertaken many studies to determine disaster hazards and risks throughout the city and also to take precautions regarding these risks. Stating that they started studies on Mersin's disasters, hazards and risks by organizing the 'Mersin Disaster Management Workshop' and in light of the data obtained from this, Zorlu said, “When we evaluate Mersin's disaster hazards; we see that floods and inundations come first before an earthquake, landslides and rock falls, which we call mass movements, come second, and earthquake hazard comes third. However, we focus on earthquakes in terms of disasters due to the consequences of earthquakes, loss of life and damages they cause. For this reason, we have prioritized studies on determining earthquake hazards in Mersin and taking precautions regarding this.”
“We have created short, medium and long-term action plans regarding earthquakes”
Zorlu, who stated that the most important danger in Mersin within the scope of an earthquake is the risk of soil liquefaction and that they are also continuing their studies to determine the durability of the structures in the city, stated that within this scope, they have created the ‘Mersin Earthquake Prevention Strategic Action Plan’ and according to this plan, areas in need of urban transformation in the short, medium and long term have been determined. Noting that these studies cover Tarsus, Erdemli and the 4 central districts, Zorlu stated that they have determined 64 urban transformation areas in Mersin and that thus, they have, in a sense, taken a photograph of Mersin and said, “In light of this data we have obtained, we have started working on an island-based on-site transformation project and we plan to implement it this year. Apart from that, we are carrying out the feasibility and preparatory studies regarding a larger-scale urban transformation project. In addition to all these; “In order to support people to live in resilient cities and solid structures, and considering the difficulties of economic conditions, we are also carrying out our work on the ‘Social Housing’ project, which was also announced by our President Mr. Vahap Seçer,” he said.
“We provide disaster awareness training to all age groups”
Adding that they will make significant contributions to Mersin becoming a city more resilient to disasters with the work done, Zorlu also stated that they provide disaster awareness training to all age groups in order to carry out this process together with the citizens. Zorlu said, “First of all, we provided disaster awareness training for the mukhtars. We explained to the mukhtars what they need to do before, during and after a disaster. Because mukhtars play a key role in such situations. They act as a bridge between the citizens, public institutions and those who bring aid. Apart from this, we have studies on providing disaster awareness training to other segments of society. Children come first here and we have disaster education programs aimed at them.”
“Our work continues to make Mersin a more disaster-resistant city”
Noting that there are areas where simulators are located in the Mercan 100th Year Climate and Environment Science Center that explain many disasters such as earthquakes and fires are located, Zorlu stated that they provide disaster training especially to children through these simulators and said, “For a city to be resilient to disasters is not something that only one institution and organization can do. In order to be ready and resilient to disasters; central administration, metropolitan municipalities, district municipalities, education and public institutions and citizens need to work together. One leg of this is actually the construction sector. The construction sector will play a very serious role in this transformation together with citizens, municipalities and public institutions. As the Metropolitan Municipality, we are rapidly continuing our work to make Mersin a more resilient city to disasters. We can only do this job together.”
