Why Turkey's earthquake is a grim wake-up call for the Middle East

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Some key lessons include the importance of preparedness and planning to act swiftly and decisively, training local communities in hazard-prone regions to act as first responders when official rescuers are not present, and holding drills on what to do during earthquakes. 

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In Turkey, experts are calling for official investigations into what went wrong and why the building codes developed after the 1999 Izmit/Golcuk earthquake were ignored. In Syria, which barely has any earthquake standards, attention has mainly focused on what the international community and local powers should have done and should do in future instances, such as better coordination of aid delivery.

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Fourthly, as the relevant authorities begin to think about reconstruction, there is a necessity to incorporate resilient technology - for earthquakes and other hazards - into rebuilding efforts to better prepare for future disasters, especially in Syria. 

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According to current estimates, the recovery timeframe for Syria is five to 10 years, and for Turkey two to three years.

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