Erdogan announces state of emergency three months after earthquakes

The state of emergency will be in the ten cities affected by earthquakes: Gaziantep, Kahramanmarashi, Hatai, Osmanije, Adijamana, Malta, Chanliurfa, Adana, Diyarbakir and Chiles.

The announcement of the state of emergency comes at a time when efforts in Turkey and Syria are continuing to save people believed to have remained under the ruins of thousands of buildings destroyed by powerful earthquakes that struck these two countries.

Over 5,000 people are reported to have died after a 7.8 - magnitude earthquake struck in the early hours of the morning of February 6th. Monday's earthquake episode was about 20 miles [26 km] from the city of Nurdag and about 33 km from the city of Gaziantep, the American Geological Service said.

And during the same day, another mighty earthquake of 7.5 degrees of Riter's was recorded.

Turkish authorities said the number of earthquake victims has increased to 3.549. Orhan Tatar, official at the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority, said 20.426 other people have been injured and 5,775 buildings have collapsed.

In Syria, 812 people dead in government-controlled areas were reported, state news agency SANA said.

The agency said 1,449 people were injured in the provinces of Alepo, Lakati, Hama, Idlib and Tartus.

In the northwestern part of the state controlled by the rebels, 450 people and hundreds of injuries were earlier reportedly killed.

Turkey's president, Recep Tayip Erdogan, said on February 7th that so far, 70 states have offered assistance to seek earthquake survivors.

He said the state plans to open hotels in the Antalya area to accommodate people affected by this natural disaster.

Earlier in the day, the Turkish government said over 13 million people within the country have been affected by powerful earthquakes.

This earthquake has directly affected 13.5 million of our citizens”, said Urbanism Minister Murat Kurum.

Some of the roads are still not accessible, and teams are working to get them opened for circulation. He said some regions are without water.

The pain is unfathomable”, he said, adding that each hour is precious.

The United Nations Children's Agency (UNICEF) expressed fears that earthquakes in Turkey and Syria may have killed thousands of children.

The earthquakes that hit southern Turkey and northern Syria the morning of yesterday may have killed thousands of children”, the spokesman said. U n NICEF, James Elder.

Meanwhile, countries worldwide have said they will send teams to assist in rescue operations, but so far only a few teams have arrived at the scene.

Rescue search operations have been hampered by cold temperatures and close to 200 successive earth quakes, which have made research in unstable structures dangerous.

In Hatay province, officials said 1,500 buildings have been destroyed and many reportedly have remained trapped in rubble, without help and without rescue search teams.

In this province, thousands of people have been sheltered in sports centres or in large food stores, while others have been forced to spend the night outdoors.

The quake, which had the epidera in the Turkish province of Kahramanmara, has forced residents of Damascus and Beirut to spend the night in the streets, as earth's quakes have felt as far as Cairo.

Turkey's President, Recep Tayip Erdogan, has declared seven days of national mourning.

Governments from around the world have offered assistance to Turkey and Syria following powerful earthquakes.

The European Union announced it would send over 1,000 rescuers and dogs to seek survivors in Turkey.

The units are from 19 European states, including two states that are not part of the EU, Albania and Montenegro.

Meanwhile, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, who said he was willing to send a 60-person rescue search team and medical supplies.

The Pakistani government has sent a plane with aid equipment and a 50-member rescue team. This state said it will organise daily flights to Syria and Turkey starting on February 8th.

India said it would send two search and rescue teams, including trained dogs and medical personnel.

The President of the United States, Joe Biden, spoke to Erdogan and offered him help. The White House said Washington will send a rescue search team to help Turkey in its efforts. / REL