Twelve arrested over collapse of buildings in Turkey reported

Turkish police have arrested 12 people related to the collapse of buildings in the southeastern provinces of Gaziantep and Sanliurfa, local media reported, following powerful earthquakes that hit Turkey and Syria.

According to the news agency, DAA, there are contractors among those arrested.

At least 6,000 buildings have collapsed after the 7.8-strong earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria on February 6th. Over 25,000 people have died from this earthquake, and this event has provoked public anger over poor quality of construction.

More arrests are expected, after the public prosecutor in Diyarbakir one of the ten provinces that were hit by earthquakes issued arrest warrants for 29 people Saturday, state media reported.

One of those arrested on Saturday was a contractor to a building in Gaziantep, state media reported, adding that it was found by police in Istanbul.

There has been a wave of investigations launched by prosecutors in the earthquake-hit provinces.

Turkey's Justice Ministry has ordered prosecutors in the ten Turkish provinces to establish “investigative crime positions in terms of earthquakes”.

On Friday, Turkish police arrested a contractor to a luxury residence that collapsed in Hatay province. He was arrested at Istanbul airport, while reportedly was trying to leave the state. /Rel/