The Turkish village blighted by cancer
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The central Turkish region of Cappadocia is a geological wonderland; the village of Tuzkoy is a landscape of fantastically-eroded rocks and rich, historic remains which attract around two million tourists every year.
The soft rock which has been worn down into the region's characteristic "fairy chimneys", and carved to make cave-churches and underground cities, was deposited millions of years ago by the eruptions of volcanoes surrounding the Cappadocia plateau.
The new wealth that tourism has brought has been a blessing to most of the region. But in a few isolated spots, those volcanoes left more of a curse.
Residents of this village are now being relocated due to an extremely high risk of mesothelioma. Nearly half the deaths in the village and two others nearby are from mesothelioma, which is being caused by a specific form of the mineral erionite that resembles asbestos.
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer caused almost exclusively by asbestos exposure. Due to its resemblance to asbestos, exposure to a certain form of erionite in Turkey may lead to the development of mesothelioma. Because there is no cure for this disease, the mesothelioma life expectancy for most patients averages between four and 18 months after diagnosis.
Approximately 48 percent of deaths among the three villages are from mesothelioma, and several hundred residents are believed to have died of mesothelioma since the 1980s, when officials began to note the issue. Residents were exposed to erionite through the stones and paints they use to build homes, which were also used in roads and fields.
Erionite occurs naturally throughout the world and can be found in the United States. Ed Murphy, a geologist in North Dakota, first notified the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) about the erionite which have the similar properties to that of asbestos, located in western North Dakota several years ago upon learning the mineral was being linked to mesothelioma in Turkey.the element is inhaled by residents ofthe village and thus leading to this cancer.
The only solution, was to move the village.A new town is being constructed on the hill above the village, an area free of erionite.Funds have been released by the central government, after parts of Tuzkoy were declared a disaster area.The Turkish parliament now has a special committee to decide what to do with the village.
Via:BBCnews
