At 4:17 a.m. on February 6, 2023, two powerful earthquakes measuring 7.7 in Pazarcık and 7.6 in Elbistan struck within hours, reducing 11 provinces to rubble. The disaster affected an area of roughly 120,000 square kilometers and directly impacted nearly 14 million people. More than 53,000 lives were lost, over 107,000 people were injured, and thousands of buildings collapsed.
The tragedy prompted an unprecedented wave of international solidarity, including support from Kazakhstan. More than 650,000 personnel, among them over 11,000 international rescuers, took part in search and rescue operations.
Three years on, reconstruction efforts are progressing at full speed. The government has prioritized relocating survivors from temporary shelters into permanent housing. The state housing authority TOKİ has delivered 12,462 apartments to rightful owners.
According to Governor Numan Hatipoğlu, around 95% of affected families have already moved into newly built earthquake-resistant homes. Construction of an additional 2,400 housing units is nearing completion.
Today, Elazığ and neighboring provinces are emerging not only rebuilt, but redesigned as models of seismic resilience and modern urban planning. What was once a scene of devastation is gradually giving way to recovery, renewal, and hope for a safer future.
