The first major criminal trial related to the devastating earthquake that struck Turkey in February 2023 has commenced. As per the report from BBC, the trial involves 11 individuals accused of violating building regulations during the construction of the Isias Grand Hotel in the southeastern Turkish city of Adiyaman, where the earthquake caused buildings to collapse.
Among the accused are the hotel owners. The collapse of the Isias Grand Hotel, which occurred within seconds, claimed the lives of 72 people, including 35 members of a school volleyball team, 24 children, parents, and coaches who were residing in the hotel at the time. The team was en route to a tournament in Adiyaman, and the hotel also hosted a group of tourist guides undergoing training, as reported by The Guardian.
Operating since 2001, the Isias Grand Hotel faced scrutiny during investigations, revealing that during the construction of the building's supporting columns, gravel and sand were improperly mixed with other building materials. The indictment also highlighted that additional floors were added to the structure in 2016 without the required permits.
The earthquake itself was the most powerful in nearly a century in Turkey, registering a magnitude of 7.7 on February 6. The disaster resulted in over 44,000 casualties and the destruction of hundreds of thousands of buildings.
In response to the tragedy, Turkish authorities have initiated criminal cases against 612 individuals involved in the construction of collapsed buildings. Almost 200 people, including construction contractors, superintendents, and others, have been taken into custody in connection with the investigation.
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