Almost two weeks after turkey’s earthquake there’s growing anger over why so many buildings collapsed more than 100 arrest warrants have been issued in connection with unsafe buildings and the government’s been accused of turning a blind eye to building irregularities our Europe correspondent Nick Beek has spent the last three days investigating the collapse of one building in gaziantep where 136 people died and sent us this report night and day they’ve been waiting for a miracle but there’s no sign of one their relatives lived in the most expensive part of this city that meant nothing as their apartment block turned to dust Emery who’s five loved ones are missing says so many people are to blame they have the blood of the people who died here on their hands it’s not right to scapegoat the contractor the ones who approved this building are responsible together with the government and the states the next morning we come back to try to find out why these four blocks collapsed while all around others stood firm we learn from officials on the ground that at least 136 people have died here a community ripped apart in seconds everything is gone amalfi lic weeps before revealing there had been concerns that water was weakening the building it was an accident waiting to happen six months ago the head of the residence Association told us about the problems of the building she said our buildings might collapse at the smallest earthquake let’s strengthen the pillars she said but nothing happened neighbors tell us of former security guard at the complex could give us more information I witnessed the defects with my own eyes when I touched the concrete columns it would crumble to dust in my hands as though it wasn’t concrete at all the iron was rusting in the columns the rainfall was damaging and corroding the iron in the middle of all this death and destruction we need to remind ourselves that these days homes can be built or strengthened to withstand earthquakes of this magnitude 24 years ago this country got a big wake-up call when more than 17 000 people were killed in a previous quake since then the Turkish authorities have failed to protect their people whether it’s those living in new builds or in older properties too opposition politicians say tens of thousands have now paid with their lives in the Civilized countries earthquakes happen and people don’t die unfortunately in Turkey these kind of earthquakes happen every 10 years and people die and they say it is a destiny no it is not a destiny if we just do what the science says nobody dies a man connected to our particular complex in gazientep has been arrested his lawyer tells us he’s done nothing wrong and the building was well constructed the local Authority says no complaints were made and so no inspections were ever carried out President erdogan says it was not possible to be prepared for such a disaster but in light of this story one replicated across the country how many in Turkey can truly sleep soundly Nick beak BBC News gaziantep.
