Turkish cancer village could be demolished
Source: Agencies |
November 5, 2010, Friday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
THE caves, rock houses and fantastical stone formations in Turkey's Cappadocia draw tourists from around the world. Nestled among the natural wonders, however, lies a village where the earth is believed to deliver death rather than rewards.
Nearly half the deaths in this impoverished village and two others nearby are from a rare cancer known as mesothelioma - which can be caused by a mineral that's found in abundance in the area. Local authorities are so alarmed that a relocation of all residents is underway.
"The plan is to demolish the old village, bury it in one-and-a-half meters of earth and plant over it," Mayor Umit Balak said.
The Turkish government, however, hasn't made a final decision on whether to bury Tuzkoy under dirt, pave over it with asphalt, or just try to keep people away.
Dubbed "cancer village" in the media, Tuzkoy was declared a hazardous zone in 2004 and about 250 families have moved to new housing 1.6km away. The rest of the population of 2,350 is expected to move when additional homes are ready.
Mesothelioma - cancer of the lining of the chest or abdomen - has also been the scourge of the nearby villages of Sarihidir and Karain.
"The number of cases of mesothelioma in Tuzkoy has been about 600 to 800 times higher than world standards," said Murat Tuncer, who heads the Health Ministry department to fight cancer.
About 48 percent of all deaths in the three villages are from mesothelioma, Tuncer said.
Tuzkoy's inhabitants are believed to have inhaled fibers of the mineral erionite in stones and paints they used to build homes as well as in roads and fields. Moving them just a short walk away should eliminate the risk, said Tuncer.
Erionite, found in volcanic rock, is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency on Cancer Research, the cancer arm of the World Health Organization. That means it's a substance that definitely causes cancer; other carcinogens in that group include asbestos, arsenic and tobacco.
Some experts cite other possible factors for the high cancer rates, including the genetic disposition of some villagers.
Authorities hope that "New Tuzkoy" will be completed by the end of 2011.
Nearly half the deaths in this impoverished village and two others nearby are from a rare cancer known as mesothelioma - which can be caused by a mineral that's found in abundance in the area. Local authorities are so alarmed that a relocation of all residents is underway.
"The plan is to demolish the old village, bury it in one-and-a-half meters of earth and plant over it," Mayor Umit Balak said.
The Turkish government, however, hasn't made a final decision on whether to bury Tuzkoy under dirt, pave over it with asphalt, or just try to keep people away.
Dubbed "cancer village" in the media, Tuzkoy was declared a hazardous zone in 2004 and about 250 families have moved to new housing 1.6km away. The rest of the population of 2,350 is expected to move when additional homes are ready.
Mesothelioma - cancer of the lining of the chest or abdomen - has also been the scourge of the nearby villages of Sarihidir and Karain.
"The number of cases of mesothelioma in Tuzkoy has been about 600 to 800 times higher than world standards," said Murat Tuncer, who heads the Health Ministry department to fight cancer.
About 48 percent of all deaths in the three villages are from mesothelioma, Tuncer said.
Tuzkoy's inhabitants are believed to have inhaled fibers of the mineral erionite in stones and paints they used to build homes as well as in roads and fields. Moving them just a short walk away should eliminate the risk, said Tuncer.
Erionite, found in volcanic rock, is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency on Cancer Research, the cancer arm of the World Health Organization. That means it's a substance that definitely causes cancer; other carcinogens in that group include asbestos, arsenic and tobacco.
Some experts cite other possible factors for the high cancer rates, including the genetic disposition of some villagers.
Authorities hope that "New Tuzkoy" will be completed by the end of 2011.
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