On January 24, 2020, a 6.5 magnitude earthquake strikes Sivrice, Elazığ. Cumhuriyet headlines "İhmal, Yoksulluk ve Çaresizlik" (Neglect, Poverty, and Desperation) highlighting that many people continued living in risky, deteriorating buildings, leading to significant losses. The headline "Ağla Sevgili Yurdum Ağla" (Cry, My Beloved Country, Cry!) accompanies photos of collapsed buildings.
Images show people weeping over relatives' coffins, capturing the sorrow. A completely destroyed village is headlined "O Köy Artık Yok" (That Village Is No More). The devastation in rural areas is said to prompt migration to cities. Some families find temporary shelter in trains. A touching photo shows a soldier giving his socks to a barefoot survivor. Cartoons depict the politicization of disaster management agencies.
The Ministry of Environment and Urbanization announces reconstruction by year-end.
Date: January 24, 2020
Magnitude: 6.5 Mw
Fatalities (official numbers): 41
Damaged buildings (official numbers): 17,393

February 2020
January 2020


