On the first anniversary of the February 6 earthquakes, Ipsos Turkey conducted a survey to find out whether there is a difference in the emotions felt between the earthquake provinces and the rest of the country. The survey revealed that negative feelings have been expressed for a long time independent of the earthquake, especially due to the economic crisis, and that these negative feelings are one times higher for citizens living in the earthquake zone. The research sought answers to the questions “How do we feel one year later?”, “What have we been talking about in the last week?”, “Where is the level of concern about the earthquake?”, “How is the level of concern about the Istanbul & Marmara earthquake?” and “What is happening in the normalization process?”.
In the survey, 70 percent of Turkey responded to the question “What have we been talking about in the last week?” with the answer “Difficulty in making a living, cost of living”, while this rate was 71 percent in earthquake provinces. In non-earthquake provinces, elections and social media are ahead of the earthquake in terms of setting the agenda, while in earthquake provinces, a new earthquake and needs are discussed more than the general society.
In addition to the weekly online survey conducted with 400 individuals over the age of 18, 200 additional surveys were conducted in Hatay, Kahramanmaraş, Malatya, Adıyaman and Diyarbakır between January 29 and February 2.
Earthquake moved to the bottom of the agenda in April 2023
Sidar Gedik, CEO of Ipsos Turkey, pointed out that the society showed an admirable example of solidarity from the very first moment after the earthquake and that there was an intense outpouring of support in the first weeks; however, as of April 2023, the earthquake has lost its place in the list of the most important problems of the country.
Stating that the rate of citizens outside the region expressing the needs of the region remained at 19 percent, Gedik emphasized that the possibility of a new earthquake occupied the agenda of those living in the region more than the elections. Explaining that earthquake-related measures were prominent among the commitments of the candidates in the elections, Gedik said, “It is very important that the disaster served as a wake-up call in this sense. We hope that the candidates will quickly implement the projects they put forward today and we can make our buildings earthquake prepared. We owe it to the next generations to leave them safe cities.”
WHAT HAVE WE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR THE LAST WEEK?
The difficulty of making ends meet is the most talked about topic by everyone. Local elections are talked about more in Turkey than in earthquake provinces. In the earthquake provinces, a possible new earthquake and the needs of individuals living in these provinces are more talked about.
HOW DO WE FEEL AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE?
In the first year of the February 6 earthquakes, the emotions felt by individuals living in the earthquake zone are more negative. Individuals living in earthquake provinces feel more tired, anxious, sad and confused than the general public.
LEVEL OF ANXIETY ABOUT EARTHQUAKE
The level of concern about an earthquake in the region/province of residence is still high. However, in the immediate aftermath of the February 6 earthquakes, 56% of people living in provinces other than the earthquake provinces were very worried, while this rate has decreased to 40% today. Individuals living in earthquake provinces are much more concerned.
CONCERN ABOUT MARMARA EARTHQUAKE
Concerns about the Marmara earthquake continue. However, the intensity of the level of concern has decreased. The rate of those who said “I am worried”, which was 80 percent in non-earthquake provinces in February 2023, decreased to 66 percent in January 2024, while this rate was 76 percent in earthquake provinces.
WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE NORMALIZATION PROCESS?
One out of every four people living outside the earthquake zone state that they are still not back to normal. While half of the individuals living in earthquake provinces state that they have not returned to normalcy, only 5% say that their lives have normalized.