Effectiveness of Local Administrations in Disaster Management: 6 February Earthquake Hatay Example

Abstract

Disasters, which significantly change the course of human life and disrupt the routine, have always been among the leading subjects of academic studies because they are unpredictable and cause irreparable losses. It is an undeniable fact that these studies, which concern many disciplines, contribute to the measures and policies carried out by both the societies experiencing disasters and the authorities managing those societies in terms of avoiding harm, protecting from risks and reducing losses. Earthquakes are one of the leading natural disasters that need to be taken precautions when their destructive effects and the loss of life and property they cause are taken into account. Measures to be taken and implemented to minimize the damages caused by earthquakes bring a multi-actor management mechanism to the agenda. In this process, which is called “disaster management” in most sources, actors such as the central administration of the state, local governments, national and international non-governmental organizations and voluntary initiatives are involved. Undoubtedly, the actors who know the region where the earthquake took place economically, socially and physically, know the needs best, are closest to the region and are the fastest and easiest to reach, are undoubtedly local governments. Although it is seen that organizational and institutional central structuring in earthquake and disaster management in our country is at the forefront, the effectiveness of local governments in disaster management is considered extremely important and valuable. Local governments are not only responsible for disasters and earthquakes in their own regions; they also intervene or support the cases in different parts of the country. In the earthquakes that took place in Kahramanmaraş on the morning of February 6, 2023, the most destruction and loss occurred in Hatay. The first interventions in the areas of saving the people in the earthquake area from the debris, transporting them to health centers, and providing shelter, heating, food and clean water were carried out by local government organizations. In this regard, the devoted efforts of local government organizations not only in the region but also from different parts of the country have been witnessed. In this study, the activities of local governments and the policies and solutions they developed for the people of the region who were damaged by the earthquake in the Hatay region on February 6, 2023 were evaluated. In the study based on the case analysis, the interview technique was chosen from the qualitative research techniques. In the interview technique, after the data obtained from the earthquake zone are subjected to a systematic classification, accuracy and reliability are tested. In the study, the activities, support, experience and predictions of local government organizations in terms of earthquake preparedness, earthquake response and post-earthquake recovery activities were evaluated.