“to Leave or Not to Leave”: Relocation Decision and Strategies of Families Following the Kahramanmaraş Earthquakes in Turkey

On February 6th, 2023, two earthquakes with magnitudes of 7.8 and 7.5 struck Kahramanmaraş in Turkey, affecting a wide region of 11 cities. In addition to human loss and the complete destruction of entire communities, this devastating disaster forced many people to relocate outside of the region. Based on the mobility justice framework, we contend that migration was a strategy afforded by only some to cope with the aftermath of an earthquake, due to the lack of an efficient post-disaster relocation strategy by the state. In this study, we focused on the experiences of individuals who moved to Ankara or Mersin, where survivors were most likely to relocate. We conducted in-depth interviews with 80 individuals in total, using a life course perspective, to understand their migration decision, post-migration integration, and intentions for return. These earthquakes affected families in a variety of ways, including the death of family members, new impairments, and the loss of their homes and workplaces. Respondents stressed that owing to the urgency of the post-earthquake circumstances, they made the decision to migrate very rapidly, without any negotiations over when or where. Many chose the destination due to its familiarity based on past professional or educational experiences, or existence of extended kin or non-kin networks. A variety of relocation tactics were used by families, with the primary goal of ensuring members’ safety and access to assistance and services. In some families, men had to stay behind to continue working in the earthquake zone while the rest of the family migrated to meet either the education needs of the young or the healthcare needs of the old and the disabled. Others had to rebuild their lives in a new city after losing everything they previously owned. These findings contribute to our understanding of variations in family responses to disasters.