Alanya Sounds the Alarm: Dozens of Buildings Could Collapse Spontaneously!

After a Column Collapse in Muratpaşa, Engineer Yılmaz Assesses Building Risks in Alanya

The panic caused by the spontaneous collapse of a building column in Muratpaşa, Antalya, has brought attention to building safety. Following the evacuation and sealing of the damaged building, concerns arose about similar risks in Alanya.

Emrah Yılmaz, Chairman of the Alanya Branch of the Chamber of Civil Engineers (İMO), stated that many buildings in Alanya pose a risk of spontaneous collapse and urgent action is needed.

“A Narrow Escape”

Commenting on the incident in Antalya, Yılmaz said:

“Today, an explosion occurred in the load-bearing column of a building on TRT Street in Antalya. Despite no significant earthquakes in the region, the sudden collapse of the column alarmed residents and neighbors. Technically, the fact that the column collapsed before the entire building fell shows we narrowly escaped a major disaster. Such buildings often have insufficient reinforcement, which causes sudden collapses.”

Risk Exists for Alanya

Evaluating the situation in Alanya, Yılmaz said:

“Like many places in our country, Alanya has a significant stock of buildings constructed before 2000. Some buildings here can collapse spontaneously without an earthquake. During inspections triggered by residents’ concerns, we often encounter such buildings. Those built without ready-mix concrete, using sea sand, with structural damages due to unauthorized renovations, deteriorated by moisture, corroded reinforcement, or those exceeding their economic life, are not earthquake-resistant. Illegal additional floors or attic constructions also increase vulnerability. The so-called 'zoning amnesty' does not change the fact that these buildings are unsafe. Only analyses by expert civil engineers can determine earthquake resistance.”

Urgent Action Needed

Yılmaz emphasized the urgent need for identifying and strengthening or renewing unsafe buildings:

“Unsafe buildings must be identified immediately and either reinforced or renewed through urban transformation. For urban transformation, more than 50% of residents’ consent is enough. Continuing to live in dilapidated buildings that may collapse spontaneously is not logical, as it risks lives and causes loss of property. The danger extends not only to residents but also to passersby and neighbors. We advise citizens to take necessary precautions before irreversible tragedies occur.”

— Fatma Bedia UYAR