صحافة بلادي صحيفة إلكترونية مغاربية متجددة على مدار الساعة تعنى بشؤون المغرب الجزائر ليبيا موريتانيا تونس
Tunisia –
Thousands of families in Tunisia, especially in old neighborhoods, live under daily threat due to houses on the verge of collapse, in the absence of housing alternatives and high rental costs, which makes danger an option imposed on large segments of the population.
According to circulated data, these dilapidated buildings are spread across a number of cities, especially in Greater Tunis, Bizerte, and Sfax, where cracked walls and roofs threaten to collapse in streets that have not been restored for years, while residents continue to live inside them despite the looming dangers.
Official estimates indicate that Tunisia includes thousands of properties classified as buildings at risk of collapse, including about a thousand buildings in the capital alone, in addition to more than 1,600 old properties distributed across several governorates, in light of the difficulties that hinder the implementation of evacuation or restoration decisions.
This crisis is due to accumulated factors, most notably administrative complications, lack of funding, and the absence of suitable housing alternatives, which makes many families prefer to remain in unsafe housing rather than face high rental prices, which in some cases exceeded half of the families’ income.
In field testimonies, residents confirm that the fear of collapse has become a part of their daily lives, especially during rainy periods, when leaks turn into danger signals, without practical solutions available to guarantee their safety.
This issue has recently returned to the forefront after partial collapses were recorded in a number of buildings following weather fluctuations, in addition to separate incidents that sparked a wave of criticism regarding the slowness of interventions and the weakness of prevention measures.
The danger of these buildings is not limited to their residents only, but extends to passers-by, as parts of the walls or ceilings can collapse suddenly, turning public spaces into dangerous areas.
In an attempt to address the situation, in June 2024, the Tunisian Parliament approved a law on buildings at risk of collapse, aiming to speed up intervention procedures, whether through restoration, demolition, or eviction, with the possibility of resorting to expropriation in urgent cases.
However, local authorities confirm that the implementation of this law faces major challenges, linked to weak human and financial resources, in addition to the complexities of administrative procedures, which makes resolving the crisis dependent on broader coordination between the state, municipalities, and owners.
These buildings remain a witness to an ongoing urban and humanitarian crisis, in light of fears that any climate fluctuations or additional neglect will lead to potential disasters that threaten the lives of residents.
Source:“My press”
