President Erdoğan commented on the “Drop-Cover-Hold Evacuation Drill during an Earthquake”, saying, “I believe that the few minutes we will spend on this drill will provide us with experience that will help us live longer lives. At this very moment, as our clocks are to strike 06.57 p.m., I invite you to hold on to life with the drill motto ‘drop, cover, hold’, knowing that ‘disaster knowledge equals life knowledge’.”
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan shared a video message ahead of a nationwide earthquake drill that anyone in Türkiye is welcome to participate in.
Emphasising that scientists agree that the likelihood of major earthquakes is increasing in Türkiye, which is located on the most critical fault lines in the region, President Erdoğan said, “It is impossible to prevent an earthquake from occurring, but it is up to us to take precautions to avoid loss of life and property.”
President Erdoğan noted that thanks to the preparations made in light of the lessons learned from the bitter experiences of the past, they no longer hear people crying out, “Where is the state?” during a disaster. He also stated that the integrated disaster management strategy developed by AFAD within this framework consists of three stages: pre-disaster preparedness and risk reduction, disaster response and disaster recovery.
“So far this year, we have conducted 94,207 drills to test our level of preparedness”
Pointing out that within the scope of pre-disaster preparedness and risk reduction efforts, they have made cities more resilient to disasters with mass housing and urban transformation projects, President Erdoğan said, “With our effective management in the event of a disaster, we reach our citizens in a short time and carry out search and rescue operations swiftly. With our post-disaster recovery strategy, we implement projects that will replace the destroyed with much better ones. There is no doubt that you are at the centre of everything with your pre-disaster preparations, your appropriate behaviour during the disaster, and your patience following the disaster.”
Noting that they declared 2020 the “Year of Disaster Preparedness”, 2021 the “Year of Disaster Education”, and this year the “Year of Disaster Drills,” President Erdoğan added:
“Last year, we reached nearly 57 million citizens with various training materials. This year, we have tested our preparedness level with 94 thousand 207 drills so far. Today, on the day and time of the Düzce earthquake, that is, at 06.57 p.m. on November 12, we are conducting a nationwide drill in 81 provinces and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. We expect you to participate in the drill voluntarily and test your reflexes and your surroundings in the event of a possible earthquake. I believe that the few minutes we will spend on this drill will provide us with experience that will help us live longer lives. At this very moment, as our clocks are to strike 06.57 p.m., I invite you to hold on to life with the drill motto ‘drop, cover, hold’, knowing that ‘disaster knowledge equals life knowledge’.”