"Azerbaijan’s Quarter" in Türkiye's Kahramanmaraş: A symbol of resilience as construction nears completion PHOTO

The construction of the “Azerbaijani Quarter” in Kahramanmaraş, supported by the Azerbaijani government, is nearing completion, said the governor of Kahramanmaraş, Mükerrem Ünlüer.

"The process of settling the area will begin within 1–2 months following the official opening," Ünlüer stated, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

He expressed hope that the inauguration of the Azerbaijani Quarter in the Turkish city would be attended by the leaders of both nations—President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and President Ilham Aliyev. Ünlüer stated that this would serve as another symbol of the strong friendship between the two countries and their peoples.

He recalled that the groundbreaking ceremony for the residential area in the disaster zone was also attended by the leaders of both states. "The residents of Kahramanmaraş genuinely love Azerbaijan. The local population's affection for the brotherly country is especially warm. It is no coincidence that the Azerbaijani Quarter is located at the heart of the city," said Ünlüer.

The governor also noted that Azerbaijan is overseeing the construction of the Azerbaijani Quarter, which has been visited by Azerbaijan's Prime Minister Ali Asadov.

"A magnificent creation like the Azerbaijani Quarter in Kahramanmaraş should rightfully be inaugurated by the leaders of both nations," he added, expressing hopes that the official opening will take place within the next month or two.

Meanwhile, Azerbaijan continues to provide vital assistance to Türkiye in the recovery of regions devastated by the catastrophic earthquake that struck Kahramanmaraş, which has been dubbed the "disaster of the century."

Orhan Tatar, the head of the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) of Türkiye, spoke about the ongoing efforts at a press conference in AFAD's Kahramanmaraş centre. Tatar emphasized, "Over 90 countries have offered support to Türkiye, but Azerbaijan was the first to extend a helping hand."

Tatar also highlighted the scale of the destruction, describing it as immense. "The disaster affected an area roughly the size of the United Kingdom," he remarked. "A total of 53,737 lives were lost, and 39,000 buildings were completely destroyed. No such tectonic rifts have been recorded anywhere in the world before."

A three-day media tour, organized by the Communications Directorate of Presidential Administration, is currently underway, covering the most earthquake-affected regions: Adıyaman, Kahramanmaraş, and Hatay. More than 90 journalists from 12 countries are participating in the tour.

To recall, on February 6, 2023, southern Türkiye was struck by a devastating magnitude 7.8 earthquake near the northern Syrian border, followed by a second powerful 7.5 magnitude earthquake nearly nine hours later. This catastrophe, one of the deadliest to hit Türkiye since 1999, particularly impacted Gaziantep, a city home to many Syrian refugees and humanitarian organizations. 

The dual quakes caused the deaths of at least 56,000 people, a number likely to be higher as authorities ceased counting. Aid workers were also among the victims. The dual quakes caused the deaths of at least 56,000 people, a number likely to be higher as authorities ceased counting. Aid workers were also among the victims.

Over 230,000 buildings were either damaged or destroyed in Türkiye, and around 10,600 buildings in northwest Syria were impacted, including 3,500 in Aleppo alone, many in dire need of structural repairs.

In response to the crisis, Candid tracked $289 million in grants and $206 million in pledges, supporting relief efforts. The UNDP reported that the amount of rubble generated in Türkiye was 10 times greater than the destruction caused by the 1999 earthquake.

The combined toll of loss, damage, and destruction has left millions in need of urgent aid, with the region now facing the daunting task of clearing vast amounts of potentially hazardous rubble. 

By Aghakazim Guliyev