Istanbul's Kadıköy district orders three cracked apartment buildings emptied for demolition

The three buildings in the Zühtüpaşa neighborhood stand on a stream bed and are 33, 41 and 53 years old, the municipality said in a written statement carried by NTV and BirGün. Preliminary inspections found corrosion in the load-bearing systems, loss of concrete and rebar section, and deep cracks. A notice posted on the buildings, quoted by BirGün, said heavy rain had flooded the basements and that many basement columns, beams and slabs were deeply cracked, with the concrete cover coming away and the exposed rebar corroding. Residents told the paper the flood hit on Oct. 14.

The municipality declared the buildings in danger of collapse under Article 39 of Turkey's Zoning Law No. 3194 and said it started the evacuation without waiting for the formal notification decision. Its statement covered six buildings in the Zühtüpaşa, Eğitim and Rasimpaşa neighborhoods and cited an Oct. 27 letter from the provincial environment and urbanization directorate on buildings at flood risk. It promised temporary housing to those in need.

Residents told BirGün they had already started their own redevelopment and do not oppose demolition. They object to the timing. One resident told the DHA news agency, in a report carried by Haberler.com, that officials said formal notice would come after people moved out and told them to clear the buildings between 6 p.m. and 10 a.m. Occupants include a cancer patient and a person recovering from brain surgery who relies on home medical equipment, residents said. A lawyer for the residents told BirGün the law allows up to 30 days and called the posted notice an internal memo. The district governor's social aid foundation registered households for cash and hotel support, BirGün reported.

The municipality has not said when demolition will start or whether the other three buildings it flagged have been emptied.