The role played by natural disasters in Turkish foreign policy from 1923 to 1960 (Earthquake, flood, and locust disasters)

The Anatolian peninsula has hosted many civilizations throughout history due to the rich diversity of its above- and below-ground resources. The societies that lived in these lands survived for centuries thanks to this diversity and richness, although these lands had both positive and negative effects on the resident societies. Anatolia is prone to natural disasters due to its geological structure and climate, both of which have negatively affected societies over the centuries. Settlers were sometimes forced to leave their homes as a result of natural disasters, and some were brought to the brink of extinction. Natural disasters on the peninsula still cause loss of property and life, and deeply affect societies. As a consequence of the natural disasters that have hit Turkey since the beginning of the 20th century, 87,000 people have lost their lives, 210,000 people have been injured and 651,000 houses were destroyed or badly damaged. The present study examines the natural disasters that took place from 1923 to 1960 on the Anatolian peninsula in three main categories: geophysical, hydro-meteorological, and biological. The effects of natural disasters in this period on the social and economic structure of the country are discussed, along with the disaster crisis management approaches of the government in these years and the relevant legislation. Natural disasters usually create more problems than individual countries can deal with on their own, which is the area of focus of this study. Consequently, the study looks at the issue of inter-country cooperation and the efforts of international aid organizations in natural disasters within the framework of Turkish foreign policy. Keywords: Earthquake, Flood, FAO, Desert Locust, Dociostaurus maroccanus, Calliptamus Italicus, Locust Information Office, Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute, MEALU