A meeting was held at the Prime Ministry on Tuesday with the mayors of towns and cities in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus to discuss which responsibilities local administrations can take on in preparing for an earthquake.

Speaking at the meeting, Prime Minister Ünal Üstel said that there were many lessons to derive from the latest earthquake disaster which struck Türkiye.

He added that important duties fell upon local administrations in terms of preparing for earthquakes.

Prime Minister Ünal Üstel came together with 15 mayors and three deputy mayors at the Prime Ministry on Tuesday to discuss which areas local administrations can taken on responsibility in preparing the country for a possible earthquake.

A statement issued after the meeting said that the prime minister had briefed the mayors on the work carried out by the central government following the devastating earthquake in Türkiye.

He thanked the mayors and municipalities which had contributed to the search and rescue as well as relief efforts in areas affected by the earthquakes that hit Türkiye.

“There are important lessons we need to derive from the disaster in Türkiye. The country needs to be prepared for a possible earthquake or natural disaster as soon as possible. Much responsibility falls on local administrations,” Üstel said.

Also speaking at the meeting, the mayors requested the passing of new legislation which will extend the powers and authorities of local administrations as well as the purchase of equipment.

The mayors also pointed to the importance of training municipal personnel for disasters.