A Major Step for a ‘Resilient Izmir’

EKOAYRA, established within Izmir University of Economics (IUE) to conduct studies on reducing disaster risks, held its first advisory board meeting. During the meeting, which discussed projects to create a city resilient against natural disasters such as earthquakes, fires, droughts, and floods, EKOAYRA Director Prof. Dr. Gökhan Kılıç said: “We cannot focus solely on earthquakes; we must be prepared for all disasters in Izmir. Disaster types that were previously rare have occurred consecutively in recent years. Izmir is facing a serious warning from nature. This is no joke; there is no time to lose.”    

The advisory board meeting of Izmir University of Economics Disaster Management and Risk Reduction Research and Application Center (EKOAYRA) was held on campus with broad participation. Attendees included Izmir Vice Governor İsmail Çorumluoğlu, AFAD Provincial Director Nazif Ekinci, IUE Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Aslı Ceylan Öner, IUE Former Rector Prof. Dr. Murat Aşkar, Faculty Members Prof. Dr. Levent Eren, Prof. Dr. Koray Velibeyoğlu, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sıtkı Egeli, Asst. Prof. Dr. Ebru Dığrak, Asst. Prof. Dr. Meriç Karagözler, Lecturers Dr. Serkan Bolat and Nursun Üstünkarlı, Prof. Dr. Alper Baba from  Izmir Institute of Technology, Department of Civil Engineering, and Izmir Chamber of Commerce (IZTO) Disaster Management Specialist Mert Aşçı.

REMOTE PARTICIPATION

Prof. Dr. Orhan Tatar (AFAD General Director of Earthquake and Risk Reduction), Prof. Dr. Mehmet Çelebi (US Geological Survey), and Dr. Recep Çakır (Washington Geological Survey) also attended the meeting via online connection to share their knowledge, experience, and recommendations.

RESILIENT RESIDENTIAL AREAS

During the two-hour meeting, participants discussed necessary steps and solutions for disaster management in Izmir. The agenda included a roadmap for creating resilient residential areas, increasing social awareness, and transforming academic knowledge into public benefit. The importance of strengthening cooperation between academia, the public sector, and the private sector was also emphasized.

CONCRETE STEPS MUST BE TAKEN

Presenting the center's structure and goals, EKOAYRA Director, Prof. Dr. Kılıç noted that a holistic risk reduction approach has become mandatory for Izmir. Reminding attendees that the city has recently faced earthquakes, fires, floods, and droughts, Prof. Dr. Kılıç said, “This picture shows that Izmir is under a direct and clear threat. Therefore, what needs to be done is not just discussing post-disaster response, but rapidly taking concrete steps to reduce risks before a disaster occurs.” He added that a city unprepared for disasters would also become economically vulnerable, making risk reduction a matter of development and sustainability.

DISASTER PREPAREDNESS MODEL

Mentioning that they are preparing projects to be shared with the public once details are finalized, Prof. Dr. Kılıç said, “A disaster preparedness model can be developed for schools, campuses, industrial zones, and public buildings. As EKOAYRA, we can establish a system that serves as an example for all of Izmir through pilot applications. Social awareness and education are also vital. Reducing disaster risk is not just a technical issue; it requires behavioral change and social consciousness. To this end, regular training sessions, workshops, and field applications can be organized for students, families, or businesses. We will consider the extent to which we can implement all of these and make plans accordingly.”

THE ‘DIGITAL TWIN’ MODEL CAN BE USED

Expressing their intent to focus on a “Digital Twin” study, Prof. Dr. Kılıç said, “A digital twin involves creating a digital copy of a settlement by analyzing physical, environmental, and operational elements. This means modeling roads, buildings, infrastructure, population movements, traffic flow, and water lines. This approach aims to visualize and reduce risks before a disaster happens. To create a digital twin of a region, a detailed digital model of the region must be created by integrating different sources such as drone photogrammetry, LiDAR scans, satellite imagery, municipal GIS data, building inventory, and sensor data, and comprehensive inventory information must be collected. Once the area is sufficiently familiarized, solutions can be developed by working on different scenarios, such as where escape routes will be located in the event of a disaster, which areas will receive first response, and which direction traffic will flow. Separate scenarios can also be prepared for different types of disasters. We have the idea to implement this in certain pilot zones. If we succeed, we will have created an exemplary model for the entirety of Izmir.”