ANKARA, Feb 6 (A.A) - President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said on Wednesday that he would visit Aegean Afyon province, which was jolted by an earthquake, on Thursday.
Sezer received Peter John Westmacott, the British Ambassador to Turkey, who presented his credentials.
Responding to questions of reporters regarding earthquake prior to the meeting, Sezer said that he would visit the quake zone on Thursday.
Sezer noted that he could make a statement after he visited the region.
ISIKARA SAYS HE IS SATISFIED THAT NATURAL GAS NETWORKS ARE QUAKE-RESISTANT
Bogazici University Kandilli Observatory Center and Seismology Institute Director Ahmet Mete Isikara said on Wednesday that he was satisfied that natural gas networks in Istanbul were quake-resistant.
Isikara told a press conference that safety valves had to be installed to all the buildings to minimize the risks.
Professor Isikara said that the mentioned safety valves costed between 400 and 1000 U.S. dollars.
They would set up early warning system to 28 network departments of Istanbul Gas Distribution Inc. (IGDAS), Isikara noted.
Isikara stated that the teams would go to the regions as fast as possible when they were warned and discharge the gas in the pipelines.
Thus, Isikara said, probable fires following the earthquakes could be prevented.
JAPANESE TECHNICAL DELEGATION REPORTS DAMAGES CAN OCCUR ON BRIDGES AND VIADUCTS IN A PROBABLE EARTHQUAKE CENTERED ON ISTANBUL
A Japanese technical delegation that examined the bridges and viaducts in Istanbul has reported that damages could occur on bridges and viaducts in a probable earthquake centered on Istanbul.
The delegation noted that priorily, Bogazici, Fatih Sultan Mehmet and Halic bridges and four viaducts should be seismically reinforced.
Public Works and Housing Minister Abdulkadir Akcan responded to the question motion of Motherland Party (ANAP) deputy Bulent Akarcali regarding the quake research on 123 bridges and viaducts in Istanbul.
Akcan said that a technical delegation from Japanese IHI company examined Bogazici, Fatih Sultan Mehmet and Halic bridges following the August 17 earthquake upon the invitation of his ministry and the delegation later prepared a report.
There were not any important damages on the mentioned constructions following the earthquake of August 17, 1999, Akcan noted.
Akcan stated that the report stressed that the bridges could be damaged in case of an earthquake with an epicenter of Marmara Sea or Istanbul.
''We had asked the Japanese Infrastructure Reinforcement Institute experts to prepare a comprehensive report between September 18 and 25, 2000 about detailed structural control of the bridges and necessary repair, reinforcement and rehabilitation works at the end of the controls. Then, Bogazici Bridge, Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge and Halic Bridge, and 29 viaducts had been examined to see whether or not they had to be rehabilitated,'' Akcan said.
Akcan noted, ''as a result, the feasibility report on seismical reinforcement of bridges in Istanbul were prepared with the participation of Japanese Constructions and Bridges Institute, one of the leading Japanese organizations in construction design and engineering of big bridges. According to this report, the seimic reinforcement of priorily Bogazici, Fatih Sultan Mehmet and Halic bridges and four viaducts were foreseen.''
They had applied to the Japanese government for financing of reinforcement project of the bridges, Akcan said and noted that if the loan was provided, the project could be put to implementation.