On March 8, 2010, a 5.9 magnitude earthquake hits Elazığ’s Karakoçan district. Cumhuriyet headlines the event with "5,9’a 51 Kurban" (51 Victims from a 5.9 Quake), noting the collapsed homes were mostly adobe. The back pages feature headlines like "Kerpiç Depremi" (Adobe Quake). Experts emphasize that the destruction was due to poor-quality buildings and the earthquake was not unexpected.
In the following days, scholars discuss how adobe structures can be made more resilient. The earthquake also brings attention back to the anticipated Istanbul earthquake.
