A major earthquake is expected in the Sea of Marmara region in Turkey. In connection with this, the authorities are going to rebuild 500 thousand of the 1.5 million dangerous residential buildings in Istanbul in a new place. 

Istanbul, home to 15.9 million people and last hit hard by an earthquake in 1999, is again at risk as experts warn of a possible earthquake of magnitude 7.0 or higher in the metropolis. For this reason, satellite towns for 500,000 homes will be built on both sides of Istanbul. This was announced by the Minister of Environment and Urban Planning of Turkey, Murat Kurum. 

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Kurum told private broadcaster HaberTürk that foundations would be laid for satellite cities on the European and Asian sides of Istanbul on April 22.

He specified that the Ministry had signed a protocol with the Ministry of Defense to use the military area between the Sultangazi and Başakşehir districts on the European side as a reserve zone. He also added that on the Asian side, the reserve zone would be located in the areas of Tuzla, Pendik, and Maltepe.

 “We will resettle our citizens step by step after we complete our projects and build backup residences in these areas, and this will be based on consent,” Kurum said. 

He stressed that the first 10,000 houses would be laid in the participation of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.