BARÜ Explained Earthquake Awareness to the People of Bartın on the Third Anniversary of the “Disaster of the Century”
6 Şubat 2026
As part of Bartın University’s (BARÜ) “Science Café” activities, the reality of disasters was explained to the people of Bartın in the light of scientific data on the third anniversary of the earthquakes that struck on 6 February 2023 and were described as the “disaster of the century”.
Within the scope of the Science Communication Office (SCO) activities carried out by Bartın University (BARÜ), a “Science Café” event was organised at Bartın Republic Square on the third anniversary of the Kahramanmaraş-centred earthquakes that occurred on 6 February 2023. The programme, titled “Reflections of the 6 February Earthquakes: Is Türkiye Ready for New Earthquakes?”, was organised in cooperation with the Bartın Governorship and the Bartın Provincial Disaster and Emergency Directorate (AFAD). During the event, information was shared to raise public awareness of disasters and earthquake preparedness among the people of Bartın.
Rector Akkaya Emphasised the Importance of Social Awareness and Preparedness Against Disasters The programme began with a recitation from the Holy Qur’an by Prof. Dr. Ömer Başkan, Dean of the Faculty of Islamic Sciences at BARÜ, in memory of those who lost their lives in the earthquake,
followed by opening speeches.
Highlighting the importance of precautionary measures that can be taken before disasters occur, BARÜ Rector Prof. Dr. Ahmet Akkaya said: “Disasters such as earthquakes, floods and forest fires are a reality for our country. As universities, one of our primary duties is to share the knowledge and experience we produce with society. What matters most in disasters such as earthquakes, floods or forest fires is the precautions we take. We must increase our awareness and act consciously in this regard. The earthquakes we experienced three years ago, which caused severe destruction in 11 provinces, went down in history as the disaster of the century. I would like to express my gratitude to everyone, especially our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who contributed to transforming this disaster into the reconstruction of the century.”
Deputy Governor Gürel Stated That the Impact of Disasters Can Be Minimised Through Precautions Bartın Deputy Governor Muhittin Gürel stated: “We have gathered here on the anniversary of the 6 February earthquakes, whose effects we are still experiencing today. Three years ago, we faced one of the greatest disasters in our history, which devastated 11 provinces, dozens of districts and thousands of villages. Such earthquakes occur all over the world, but what is important is to minimise the damage through the measures taken before and after disasters. All our efforts are aimed at this goal. In our country, awareness and sensitivity towards earthquakes and disasters began to develop after the 1999 Marmara Earthquake. Thanks to this awareness, search and rescue operations, sheltering, food supply, debris removal and the construction of permanent housing after the 6 February earthquakes were successfully carried out through the unity of the state and the nation. Once again, I pray for God’s mercy upon the citizens who lost their lives in the earthquake.”
Following the opening speeches, the programme continued with presentations by Bartın AFAD Provincial Director Fatih Tecer and Prof. Dr. Selçuk Baş from the Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Design at BARÜ. “As AFAD, We Quickly Initiated Recovery and Damage Assessment Efforts” Providing information on AFAD’s response and recovery efforts during the 6 February earthquakes, Provincial Director Tecer said: “We experienced three major earthquakes of unprecedented scale: a magnitude 7.7 earthquake in Pazarcık, Kahramanmaraş at 04:17, a magnitude 6.5 earthquake in İslahiye, Gaziantep at 04:37, and a magnitude 7.6 earthquake in Elbistan, Kahramanmaraş at 13:24. We lost 53,737 citizens, while 107,213 people were injured. A total of 14 million citizens in 11 provinces were directly affected. Our AFAD Presidency declared the disaster as Level 4, requiring international assistance. We immediately launched damage assessment studies as part of the recovery process. Considering that our country is an earthquake-prone region and that 70% of the population lives on or near active fault lines, earthquakes stand out as the most significant disaster for which we must be prepared. Therefore, we must be aware of risks in our living environments, learn about the structural safety of the buildings we live in, and know what to do before, during and after an earthquake.”
“As a University, We Build Social Awareness Through Academic Data” Drawing on field experience, Prof. Dr. Baş provided technical information regarding structural safety: “The 1999 Marmara Earthquake was a major disaster; however, when compared, the 6 February Kahramanmaraş earthquakes entered the literature as sequential earthquake twins — a phenomenon observed for the first time in inland earthquakes. Our country has advanced regulations in terms of earthquake-resistant structural design. However, in our investigations in the earthquake zone, we observed that 31% of buildings collapsed completely at the initial moment, while 28% suffered severe damage and had to be demolished. This means that more than half of the building stock was damaged. Although Bartın is not generally considered an earthquake zone, it is a city with a high seismic design classification in the regulations, meaning earthquake effects should not be underestimated. As Bartın University, we acted swiftly after the 6 February earthquakes. We visited six provinces and conducted inspections of buildings in the earthquake-affected areas. We submitted the data we obtained on soil conditions, workmanship and structural design to TÜBİTAK as a report. In line with this, we continue our efforts to increase social awareness.”
The programme attracted significant interest from Bartın Garrison Commander Naval Senior Colonel Serhat Sır, members of the provincial protocol and local citizens. In addition, a photography exhibition prepared on Bartın Government Street was visited.
BARÜ Communication Coordination Office
Fotoğraflar
