Turkish earth quake

[Tony Taylor]

Well the Cladding used on the Grenfield Towers, was that not known to be possibly dangerous?? so not just dodgy dealings abroad.

It is amazing that they are still finding people alive. Healthy Humans can survive without water in cooler conditions for 7 days. Sadly time is really running out now for anyone still buried. Just so sad for so many.

James, my last job from 98 -21 was for a specialist multi use materials manufacturer. The biggest market for our material was the manufacture of insulation cladding primarily for the oil/gas/marine industries. The number of fire related tests can be bewildering and expensive. Like many rules, there can be "ways" around the tests which some despicable manufacturers use to get approval for materials that are not up to scratch e.g. manipulating samples for smoke and toxicity testing which can result in the materials being approved despite generating thick smoke and toxic gases when burned ordinarily.
Then there are the approval outfits which charge stupid money to grant their approval to tested materials e.g. Lloyds etc. We won a contract in 2011 to supply materials for a gas tanker conversion where everything had to be approved by RINA (Royal Institute of Naval Architects); no testing required, just show us your Lloyds approval plus 1500 Euros, thank you, approval granted. The whole industry is a nightmare, with so many different requirements for each industry; marine qualification is not recognised for buildings vice versa, despite being of higher test requirement (imo).

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Many buildings were examined in Sydney after the Grenfield Towers fire, and were found to have the same stuff up the outside, to my recollection it has not been removed. I watched on TV as a building in Turkey was brought down because it was dangerous, there was only dust, no sign of any steel reinforcing, They have arrested many builders and inspectors but the horse has bolted, the man who should be arrested is the President, his only help was to put armed troops tp patrol the streets, they should have been there digging out survivors.
Des

[happy daze john in oz]

Buildings can be reinforced to many a degree to make them safe.
California and other parts of USA regularly have earthquakes and survive them..
After Cyclone Tracy here in Oz in the 70's it was decided that all new buildings must be made cyclone proof.
The town was all but wiped out then, but was rebuilt using new methods all of which have proved to be worthwhile.

With so many gone there will be little rush to rebuild, and it is possible some parts may never be rebuilt.
A giant grave yard where so many bodies will be left under piles of rubble which will in time become their headstones.

[Colin Wood]

Things did not necessarily improve after Tracy. The standard question on meeting people afer the blow was "Hows you rebuilding going"
Had a friend who got a call at work one morning, asking what is wrong on your site. Told, "NOthing" idrove past on way to work and they were just about to pour concrete for slab. Friend says, well I just drove past and they are removing all the re inforcing.
Not uncommon.

[Doc Vernon]

Its all so sad to hear of all the loss of Life etc when these type of Quakes strike, plus a lot of other Natural disasters Worldwide!

Its a good thing that all these Construction Engineers and others do great jobs on Building Stronger Buildings and Earthquake Proof (Dont really think there is such though)

No matter how clever Man may be in that Sector, Mother Nature and her Forces are far Greater and i doubt if anything would withstand a massive Quake!

Lets hope that they get lesser and not quite so fierce in future!

Can only but hope!!!!

[Des Taff Jenkins]

They got a 6.1 in Wellington on Tue, but no damage reported, they have enough to deal with in the North of the Island, bodies still floating unable to be retrieved. My sister-in-law who lives on the East coast of Auckland said they only had some wind and rain so she was lucky.
Des

[happy daze john in oz]

Yes Des, not good news.
One report said only 5.7 so what was it?

Story goes that many years ago the r always considered the south island to be the most effected by quakes, but Wellington was considered to be the most at risk.
Just goes to show thta no matter hwo clever man thinks he may be mother nature is often far smarter.