A man sits in the rubble of a building that collapsed in an earthquake in the Turkish city of Antakya, February 12, 2023.
Washington – The earthquake that struck Turkey on February 6 , caused direct physical damage in this country for approximately 34.2 billion dollars (almost 764 billion CZK). The costs of restoration and reconstruction could then reach more than double this amount. The World Bank (SB) stated this in its estimate today. Estimates of damage caused by the earthquake in neighboring Syria will be presented on Tuesday, Reuters reported.
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Photo gallery: Earthquake in Turkey and Syria
SB Vice President for Europe and Central Asia Anna Bjerde said that the estimated damage corresponds to roughly four percent of the performance of the Turkish economy for 2021. She pointed out that the damage estimate does not include secondary effects on economic growth. SB Director for Turkey Humberto López estimated that the earthquake will lead to a reduction in this year's estimate of gross domestic product (GDP) growth in this country by at least half a percentage point from the current 3.5 to 4.0 percent.
Earthquake 6 February ravaged the southeast of Turkey and the northern part of Syria, killing over 50,000 people. “Our experience shows that the costs of reconstruction can be two to three times higher than direct physical damage,” Bjerdeová pointed out. The World Bank has already pledged $1.78 billion in aid to Turkey.
The World Bank estimates that around 1.25 million people have been left homeless in Turkey as a result of the earthquake, and that the damage to residential buildings has reached around 18 billion dollars. According to the SB, the earthquake caused the greatest damage in regions that are among the poorest in the country and where over 1.7 million Syrian refugees live.
