It is a place where people learn to cope with the traumas of the earthquakes that killed more than 50,000 people and affected 13 million more across 11 provinces. 

These neatly laid out shelters are a far cry from the normality of home. But they are a milestone down the road from grief to recovery, helped by on-going support from the European Union and government of Türkiye.

As the end of that road draws closer, people are returning to live together as families again. But the tragic events have left deep scars.

At the last count, 340 containers were in use in Büyükdalyan, helping a population of more than a thousand people, paid for with the help of the €400 million EU Solidarity Fund.

“Days go by, but we are not well,” says a middle-aged woman, speaking with tears in her eyes. The traumas left in the wake of the earthquake need more time to heal.

She said: “There are still earthquakes. We are afraid. My daughter was under the rubble for nine hours. Her foot was amputated.”

“We came out of the rubble injured. We were in tents before. Thank God we are here now; we are happy with the container city. Here it is clean and they take care of us.”

“I came back to Hatay for my mum,” says a man in his early twenties. He became a provider for the family after the earthquake destroyed their home. 

Settling his family in a tent city, he travelled to Istanbul to earn money working in a supermarket.

The family was relieved when moved from the tent into a container with more space and comfort. After his mother fell sick, he gave up his job and returned to Hatay. The metal city serves basic needs, he says.

“The container city is nice, our neighbours are good. But I wish we had more social opportunities.” 

The Büyükdalyan Container City is new and has yet to develop the social facilities wished for. However, a school is under construction, and people welcome news that the social areas will gradually open.

EUROPEAN UNION, 2025

Bikes, games and shining eyes

Another young man says: “Our house and my father’s workplace were destroyed in the earthquake. We travelled to Bursa as a family.

We were placed in the guesthouse of an official organisation in İznik, but after a while, we returned to Hatay. We are satisfied with this place.”

EUROPEAN UNION, 2025

The container city is full of children’s voices; they run around, giggling. When asked, “How do you spend your time here?” an 11-year-old boy with shining, hopeful eyes, replied: “I ride a bicycle and play games with my friends.”

It is a simple response as children adapt to a changing reality. For the grown-ups the burden of change is tougher as they wait for new homes to be built. Container city is not a permanent solution.

A young woman sits at a table in front of the container where she lives. Slowly sipping tea, she speaks about her experiences. After the earthquakes, she travelled to Mersin, where her family lived. She stayed there for eight months until it was her turn for a container. She then returned to Hatay. She is unemployed. She says that drinking water is distributed to the residents.

Of course, people want to move to permanent residences as soon as possible, but they are also glad to have a roof over their heads.

“The pain and the grief of survivors is still raw. Their daily lives are filled with the pain of their injuries and the loss of their old lives: loved ones, homes, livelihoods,” writes Bahar Bakır Yurdakul, Information and Communication Assistant in Türkiye, with the EU Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations. 

EU solidarity continues

The EU and its member states have stood by Türkiye since day one. Immediately after the earthquakes, approximately three million aid materials, including shelter equipment, were sent to the earthquake zone.

Tents and relief-housing units equipped with beds were mobilised via the reserves of rescEU, an extra layer of protection integrated into the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.

An EU Solidarity Fund of €400 million was provided for Türkiye. Temporary accommodation and container cities are among the areas where the fund is used.