Civil society village opens in quake-hit Samandağ

HATAY

A civil society village has been opened to accommodate earthquake victims and various aid and support organizations in the southern province of Hatay’s Samandağ district that received severe damage in the Feb. 6 earthquakes.

The village, consisting of 176 prefabricated structures of 30 square meters each and social areas, was inaugurated with a performance by a choir formed by miners who participated in search and rescue operations following the earthquakes in Samandağ.

Nevzat Duyar, the coordinator of the project and deputy chairman of the Black Sea Confederation of Civil Society Organizations (KASTOB), stated that the project emerged as a result of comprehensive analyses in the earthquake-affected area and consultations with authorities, adding that they took swift action.

Duyar explained that in the initial phase, the village would provide housing for 250 families, citing that the primary goal of the village is to bring together both earthquake victims and major civil society organizations under the same roof. The prefabricated village also includes amenities such as a nursery, dining hall, mosque, and sports field.

Following the devastating Feb. 6 earthquakes that claimed the lives of more than 50,000 people, the Samandağ district was also hit by a 5.8 magnitude earthquake on Feb. 20.