Turkish building company sees rising demand for post-earthquake shelters

ISTANBUL

Demand for post-earthquake shelters has increased after last year’s earthquakes which struck 11 Turkish provinces and damaged or collapsed thousands of buildings, Türkiye's building company Karmod said on Friday.

According to the company's Cabin Sales Manager Enes Kizilbay, expert warnings about measures to be taken before and after the earthquake have contributed to the increased demand for shelters.

Highlighting the noticeable increase in demand particularly from housing projects in Istanbul, Kizilbay also noted a similar demand rise for post-earthquake shelters inside the gardens of detached houses and villas.

"Shopping malls are also requesting these shelters to use in the emergency meeting areas," he added.

Kizilbay said the shelters serve as immediate living spaces in the aftermath of an earthquake.

"After earthquakes, we notice that even if there are no victims in new structures, they might suffer damage that renders them uninhabitable. Our post-earthquake shelters are intended to provide safe and ready-to-use areas that may be urgently required following a disaster," he said.

Kizilbay said the shelters are built with off-the-shelf electrical and plumbing systems.

"The most popular sizes for these shelters are 240x400 and 240x600. These cabins offer a safe shelter for a family," Kizilbay said, adding: "As a precaution against the earthquake, housing complexes are procuring ready-to-use units and placing them in suitable empty spaces inside the sites. During regular times, tools that may be needed after an earthquake can be stored within the cabins."