- Turkey aims to rebuild Kahramanmaras ‘in one year’, Erdogan says
The death toll from the devastating earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria has reached at least 11,104, according to authorities.
In Turkey, the death toll has risen to at least 8,574, with nearly 50,000 others reported injured, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a televised briefing Wednesday, during a visit to disaster areas near the epicenter of Monday’s earthquake.
In Syria, at least 2,530 people have been reported killed across the government-controlled areas and rebel-held regions, officials said.
Aid agencies and emergency workers say the death toll is likely to increase further with many people still trapped under the rubble, and freezing weather conditions hampering rescue efforts.
Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his government’s target is to rebuild the southern region of Kahramanmaras, the epicenter of Monday’s deadly earthquake, “in one year.”
“We can never let our citizens stay on the streets,” Erdogan said Wednesday while speaking from an emergency relief area set up by the country’s disaster management agency.
“Our state is using all its resources with AFAD (Turkey’s disaster management agency) and municipalities. We will continue to do so.”
The president said the government is planning to give 10,000 Turkish liras (around $531 USD) to help families impacted by the quake, and has organized hotels for citizens to stay in, if they want to.
Erdogan also acknowledged the government “had some problems” clearing blocked roads and providing natural gas to cities and aid workers, which prevented rescuers from reaching collapsed buildings in order to retrieve survivors.
However, he said the situation is now “under control.” “We are in better place today, will be even better tomorrow,” Erdogan added.
A cold weather blast across Turkey and Syria has complicated the search for survivors, as freezing temperatures are increasing the risk of hypothermia for those stuck underneath the rubble.
