Report shows thousands of Istanbul buildings at risk for severe earthquake damage

Arti Gercek writes that the "Updating Istanbul Province Probable Earthquake Loss Forecasts Project,” prepared in 2020 by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Earthquake Risk Management and Urban Improvement Department in cooperation with Bogazici University Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute, reveals data about the housing stock in the metropolitan city.

According to the information compiled in the study, the number of buildings built in and before the year 2000 is 818,339. The report shows that 555,000 of these buildings were built between 1980 and 2000 while 264,000 were built before 1980.

A MAJORITY OF THE BUILDINGS IN THE FATIH DISTRICT DATE BACK TO 1980

With 39,786 buildings, the Fatih district takes the lead with the highest number of structures built before 2000 in Istanbul. Of this number, 31,899 were built before 1980.

Fatih is followed by the Uskudar district, with 35,353 units, Bagcilar with 34,618, Pendik with 34,592, Beykoz with 34,333, Umraniye with 33,727 and Sariyer with 33,068 units. The number of old buildings in these seven districts are all over 30 thousand.

ADALAR AND BEYLIKDUZU DISTRICTS HAVE THE LEAST NUMBER OF OLD BUILDINGS

The number of buildings with a construction date in or prior to 2000 is 25 to 30 thousand in Kucukcekmece and Silivri, 20 to 25 thousand in Beyoglu, Maltepe, Esenyurt, Kartal, Kagithane, Sultanbeyli, Sultangazi, Eyup, and Gaziosmanpasa, and 15 to 20 thousand in Bahcelievler, Arnavutkoy, Sisli, Bayrampasa, Kadikoy, Esenler, Sile, Atasehir, Avcilar, and Sancaktepe.

In Buyukcekmece, Basaksehir, Cekmekoy, Tuzla, Zeytinburnu, Besiktas and Catalca, there are 10 to 15 thousand buildings over 23 years old.

The district with the lowest number of buildings dating back to the year 2000 is Adalar with 5,325, followed by Beylikduzu with 6,262, Gungoren with 9,800, and Bakirkoy with 9,961.

In the event of an earthquake at magnitude 7.5 or higher in Istanbul, the report predicts that 301,000 buildings are at risk for light damage, 137,000 for moderate damage, 39,500 for heavy damage, and 13,500 for severe damage.