Doğu Anadolu Fay Zonunda (Hatay-Elazığ) Kırsal Alanlarda Deprem Kaynaklı Ekonomik Sorunlara Bakış
The Perspective on the Economic Challenges on Rural Areas Caused by the Earthquake in the Eastern Anatolia Fault Zone (Hatay-Elaziğ)

Summary/Abstract: The natural disasters that cause the most loss of life and property worldwide are earthquakes. Turkey's geography, which is actively forming and fractured from all sides by various faults, is also significantly affected by earthquakes. The rural and urban settlements along the Eastern Anatolia Fault Zone and the North Anatolia Fault Zone are especially exposed to the destructive effects of earthquakes. Most studies on earthquakes occurring along these fault zones focus on urban areas, while rural areas are largely neglected. In this context, this study examines how rural settlements located along the Eastern Anatolia Fault Zone are economically affected by earthquakes, whether there are positive or negative changes in economic activities following earthquakes, and particularly the suitability of new rural settlements to existing economic activities. For this purpose, 12 villages with different physical and human characteristics from Hatay, Gaziantep, Kahramanmaraş, Malatya, and Elazığ provinces were selected as examples. Focus group discussions, a qualitative research technique, were used in the villages. The verbal data obtained from these discussions were transferred into the text, and analysis tools such as code matrix, code relationships, word cloud, and code cloud in the MAXQDA software contributed to understanding the study. These analyses revealed the relationship between the development and change of economic activities in the selected villages and earthquakes. Additionally, the observation method, one of the most important techniques in geography, was also employed to reinforce the information obtained from the focus group discussions. Furthermore, descriptive analysis, one of the qualitative research techniques, was utilized to present and interpret the current situation in rural areas. Based on the techniques and analyses used, the February 6 earthquake caused various economic losses, especially in rural settlements with intensive livestock activities. Approximately 60% of the structures in the 12 villages were heavily damaged or destroyed; hundreds of agricultural equipment and passenger vehicles were damaged; thousands of animals perished; and many families abandoned their economic activities and migrated. This situation led to numerous problems both economically and socially. It also demonstrates that natural disasters affect rural areas at least as much as urban areas. In conclusion, in Turkey and worldwide, the lack of planning tailored to the conditions of rural areas and the insufficient scientific studies on these areas increase the importance of current and future efforts directed toward them.

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