On November 9, 2011, a 5.6 magnitude earthquake strikes Van's Edremit district. Cumhuriyet headlines "Van Bu Kez 5,6’yla Yıkıldı" (Van Destroyed Again by 5.6), with a photo of a citizen’s hand shown under the rubble. Reports highlight the failure of the building inspection system and regression in construction practices. Protests lead to police using tear gas, with Cumhuriyet noting "Depremzedeye Bunu da Yaptılar" (They Did This to Earthquake Victims). The death of a child in a self-made tent due to cold weather raises questions about responsibility. Prime Minister Erdoğan urges patience and promises recovery.
Despite numerous approval mechanisms, the system's lack of transparency and corruption is emphasized. Discussions on November 14 about granting powers to the central government include expedited expropriation and converting agricultural areas into residential areas.
Date: November 9, 2011
Magnitude: 5.6 Mw
Fatalities (official numbers): 40
Damaged buildings (official numbers):

November 2011


Cansever, Yusuf Zİya. "Çadırda soba faciası." Cumhuriyet, November 19, 2011, 7.
"12 yıl sonra ilk adım." Cumhuriyet, November 18, 2011, 1.
Güvemlİ, Özlem, and Yusuf Zİya Cansever. "12 yıl sonra ilk adım." Cumhuriyet, November 18, 2011, 7.
"Varto'da 4.5'lik deprem" Cumhuriyet, November 18, 2011, 7.
Cansever, Yusuf Zİya. "Va kara teslim." Cumhuriyet, November 13, 2011, 9.