Why was there no prior preparation for water and environmental health management in earthquakes?

The earthquakes affected a very large area. We experienced very large seismic activities in terms of magnitude, intensity and surface acceleration. The fact that these earthquakes occurred eight hours in a row caused major damage and loss of life, especially in buildings whose engineering studies and controls were not carried out in accordance with the standards. In addition, due to the high surface acceleration of the earthquake, we believe that in addition to the buildings in the region exposed to this acceleration, water, wastewater and other infrastructure networks were also severely damaged.

Among the 10 provinces in the earthquake zone, we believe that infrastructure in Hatay, Adıyaman, Kahramanmaraş and their districts was more affected. In some provinces that suffered less destruction, microbiological nonconformities were detected in about 20% of the water samples taken by public health laboratories. In some provinces, water could not be supplied to the network due to long-term power outages. In addition, since most of the buildings in some provinces were collapsed, heavily damaged and the buildings were never entered, it was not necessary to supply water to these buildings. For this reason, the damage to the water and wastewater infrastructure has not yet been fully assessed. 

In the meantime, it is very likely that drinking water and wastewater treatment plants in these provinces have also been affected to varying degrees. For this reason, it will take a long time to supply healthy water through the networks, especially to those cities where the damage is more severe. 

In summary, based on the information we have been able to obtain, and taking into account the AFAD Report, where the magnitude, intensity and surface acceleration estimates of the earthquake were published, we estimate that the water and wastewater infrastructure in about half of the earthquake zone has been severely damaged.

Water and hygiene needs and management in the Earthquake Zone 

The needs that arise at various stages of earthquakes and the dangers and risks they pose differ. In the first moment, rescue operations and meeting emergency needs are very important. However, as time passes after the earthquakes, the importance of providing healthy water to earthquake victims and meeting their toilet and hygiene needs increases. Failure to meet these needs can pose a public health threat. This situation has emerged after major earthquakes in many parts of the world. For this reason, as the Water Policy Association, we published our Earthquake and Water Report in 2019 to draw attention to this issue in the context of the expected Istanbul earthquake.

The most effective solution to the need for water and hygiene in the aftermath of an earthquake is to recognize this risk beforehand and to carry out the necessary work to reduce it to the lowest, more manageable level. For this purpose, prefabricated houses, mobile toilets and shower cabins and emergency water wells should have been kept ready in temporary settlement areas. However, unfortunately, it is seen that there is no such preparation in this region. In this situation, the needs that arise after the earthquake cannot be met and we have to manage the crisis situation, which is very troublesome. This is still happening in the region.

Portable toilets should be considered together with water tanks and fountains 

In addition to the need for mobile toilets in the region, the supply of potable water should also be considered together. With practical methods, we have to quickly bring toilets and potable water to the places where earthquake victims can reach most easily. 

 For this purpose, mobile toilets and temporary water tanks and fountains should be built in the central areas of the city, especially in the tent areas and temporary gathering areas. Groundwater wells can be drilled in some areas and the water from these wells can be subjected to continuous monitoring and can be put into use.  The urgent need for domestic water in the region should be addressed through these practical solutions. Because there are many uncertainties such as reconstruction, the population that will live in the region. Therefore, the construction of new houses and the new city plan will require new water and wastewater infrastructure and will require serious planning. Therefore, the urgent water and hygiene needs of the coming months should be solved with more practical applications.

Because meeting these needs is directly related to public health. The fact that the air temperature in the region will partially increase in the coming days may adversely affect environmental health. Therefore, it becomes more important to carry out these works faster. 

Status of Dams in the Region 

On February 6, 2023, there are many dams, hydroelectric power plants and irrigation ponds in the region affected by the earthquakes. In the projects of all of these water structures, earthquake investigations were carried out by the General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works (DSİ) taking into account the seismicity of the region. To date, the earthquakes that have occurred in the region have not caused any serious problems that could affect the safety of our dams and ponds.

However, it is necessary to examine in more detail the effects of the earthquakes with very high intensity and surface acceleration that occurred one after the other on February 6, 2023 on the water structures in the region. It has already been announced by the official authorities that water has been drained from two of our ponds for precautionary purposes, some of our dams have been partially affected and 8 dams and ponds are under follow-up.

Although 75% of our country's dams and ponds are located in first and second degree earthquake zones, no alarming earthquake damages have occurred in these structures so far. However, this time the situation is very different in terms of magnitude and intensity of earthquakes, frequency of occurrence, surface acceleration and wide area of impact  

There is a greater seismic activity in the region than what has been detected so far. After a succession of very strong earthquakes with close epicenters, moderate aftershocks of these earthquakes have occurred and are occurring. The region is under the influence of an earthquake storm that will surprise even the experts. This situation necessitates more frequent and careful inspections of dams and especially irrigation ponds in the region and detailed analysis of the results obtained.

In addition to the investigations carried out to determine the earthquake effects on dams, the Strong Motion Acceleration Seismographs SMA records in the dam body and in the vicinity of the dam should be compared with the design values and evaluated in detail. Thus, it can be determined which points of the dam move at which amplitudes and frequencies, and how the earthquake motions coming to the foundation of the dam are amplified or damped by the body. These results should also be compared with the observations made on the dam. 

Reference

February 06, 2023 PAZARCIK (KAHRAMANMARAŞ) MW 7.7 ELBİSTAN (KAHRAMANMARAŞ) MW 7.6 Preliminary Assessment Report on Earthquakes. AFAD DEPARTMENT OF EARTHQUAKE DIRECTORATE February 9, 2023