An Outsider's Perspective on Istanbul's Emergency Planning

Abstract

Istanbul, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Tokyo are the major cities most at risk of a catastophic earthquake. Past earthquakes have been devastating to Istanbul and other Turkish cities. Istanbul has engaged in extensive emergency planning, preparedness, implementation, and urban renewal with the goal of minimnizing the impacts when the earthquake comes. This article in assesing the city's efforts is from the perspective of one who is uninvolved in the Turkish planning efforts.

Keywords: Earthquakes, Emergency Action Planning, Turkey, Disaster Planning, Seismic Risks