Building safety to withstand earthquake risks

Prof. Dr. Cemil Atakara, Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts, Design and Architecture of Cyprus International University (CIU), stated that awareness of earthquake risks has recently increased in the TRNC and that this has brought about concerns about the safety of the building stock, and said, “This situation points to the existence of significant deficiencies in building inspection, engineering standards and public risk perception in our country.”
Stating that the old structures in the country, especially those built before 1974, have serious vulnerabilities because they were not built in accordance with today's earthquake regulations, Atakara said, "In addition, some new structures built recently are thought to be vulnerable to earthquake risks due to uninspected material usage, lack of regular inspections and engineering errors."
Atakara pointed out that the building inspection system in the TRNC was inadequate when compared to examples in developed countries, and shared the information that "The lack of an effective inspection mechanism leads to poor quality materials used in construction, engineering errors being ignored, and to buildings deviating from the standards envisaged in the project phase."

Stating that measures that need to be taken to withstand earthquake risks are often postponed or ignored due to budgetary reasons, Atakara said, “The mindset ‘nothing will happen to us’ and the fatalistic approach hinder raising social awareness.”

 Atakara also spoke about what needs to be done, and pointed out the importance of examining and strengthening the building stock first and implementing this with engineering solutions that comply with modern earthquake regulations.
Atakara, who also drew attention to the need to strengthen the inspection system, said, “An effective building inspection system should be established and the project design, material selection and construction process should be strictly controlled by independent organizations.”
Atakara said that the knowledge level of the public about earthquake risks should be increased with public awareness campaigns and the importance of safe structures should be emphasized, and added, "Additional in-service training programs should be organized to ensure that engineers and architects have the appropriate level of knowledge in accordance with current regulations and technologies."
Stating that disaster management plans should be created urgently, Atakara said, “Local governments and relevant state institutions should create a knowledgeable society by developing post-earthquake response plans.”
Atakara stated that safety of buildings in the country is a multifaceted problem that is not limited to the construction sector but also includes social, legal and administrative dimensions, and said, “The solution to this problem will be possible with long-term strategic approaches. Building earthquake-resistant structures is necessary not only to prevent loss of life, but also for a safer and more sustainable future.”