Homeowners in Istanbul refuse to allow earthquake screening

According to information from the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, 79,000 out of 162,000 buildings in Istanbul couldn’t undergo the free “rapid screening and building test” for earthquake risk because not all owners provided consent.

Since 2020, Istanbul Technical University (ITU) and the municipality have been working together to conduct free “rapid screening and building tests” in the city using the “Pera 2019” method.

Based on the test results, buildings are classified into A and B for low risk, C for medium risk, D for high risk, and E for very high risk. Buildings classified as D and E are recommended to undergo comprehensive analysis according to Law No. 6306 on the Transformation of Areas at Risk of Natural Disasters.

Applications for the project have been accepted since 2020, focusing primarily on buildings constructed before 2000, with concrete structures up to 10 stories and masonry structures up to 5 stories.

Istanbul has more than 1.2 million buildings, 800,000 of which were constructed before 2000. These buildings are prioritized for renewal based on earthquake risk, with 200,000 of them targeted for urgent renovation.

Additionally, Istanbul has 35,627 historical structures, with 10% of them identified as abandoned or in ruins. Of these, 3,500 are in critical condition, and 1,000 have been documented and issued emergency intervention notices by the Conservation Implementation and Supervision Office (KUDEB).