a minute agoResponse after the earthquake, Erdogan apologises
Periskopi(3 years ago)
(3 years ago)Turkish President Recep Tayip Erdogan has apologised to people affected by the earthquake's severe crackdown. During a visit to Adiyaman, Erdogan said the fluctuations and bad weather meant that “n could not work as we would like”. “More than 50,000 people are known [...]
During a visit to Adiyaman, Erdogan said the fluctuations and bad weather meant that “n could not work as we would like”.
For this I apologize”, he said.
More than 50,000 people are known to have been killed in Turkey and Syria after major earthquakes on February 6th.
A new earthquake, smaller one, has hit Turkey.
He killed at least one person and injured more than 100 people in the Malatya province, north of Adiyaman.
Rescue search teams were trying to find some people believed to be trapped under collapsed buildings.
According to Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) there have been four new earthquakes and 45 blasts of magnitude 5-6 since two massive earthquakes on February 6th.
AFAD chief Orhan Tarar described it as a very extraordinary <x0-activity”.
The World Bank says the February 6th earthquakes caused about $34 billion direct damage in Turkey, but the cost of reconstruction could be about double that figure.
Meanwhile, World Bank official Anna Byrdé said the situation in Syria was a truly catastrophic “ ”.
Erdogan ) who is seeking re-election as president in elections to be held in June has visited some of the most hit areas.
His visit to Adiyaman came after strong criticism of the emergency response there by local residents.
The discontent has spread across the country, with football fans singing the government's “resignation at this weekend's matches.
Why was the earthquake so deadly?
More than 160 thousand buildings containing 520 thousand apartments collapsed or were severely damaged on February 6th.
The government says hundreds of people are under investigation and nearly 200 people, including construction contractors and property owners, have already been arrested.
Experts had been warning for years that the ongoing corruption and government policies meant that many new buildings were uncertain.
In Adiyaman, Erdogan pledged to build more than 500,000 new homes, along with infrastructure, medical centres and parks.
Turkey will hold presidential and parliamentary elections by June. Erdogan is seeking another term as president after 20 years in power.
