Bayram Hotel Down

Very sad news. The Bayram Hotel in the thriving city of Van in East Turkey has collapsed after a very strong new earthquake last night. It is unclear at this moment how many people were staying in the hotel.
I stayed there a few months ago before the first earthquake which apparently weakened the building. On the photos a very proud Resat Bayram showing the history of the hotel in photographs, the original building opened in 1969 and the hotel in its latest modernised incarnation when I stayed there last July.

© Kees Metselaar 2011