Turkey launches investigation into 612 people after deadly earthquakes

Turkish investigators have launched investigations against more than 600 people concerning buildings that have collapsed following catastrophic earthquakes that were recorded in Turkey earlier this month.

Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag has said 184 out of 612 suspects are in custody pending trial.

Among those detained include leaders of construction companies and construction managers, he has said in some TV remarks.

“Data collection for buildings continues to be the basis for criminal investigations”, he added.

As a result of two earthquakes over 7 degrees of Riterre on February 6, over 50,000 people have died in southern Turkey and northern Syria.

Earthquake destruction has raised questions about the safety of construction in Turkey, as most of that region's 173,000 buildings have collapsed or been seriously damaged.

Experts have said many buildings are not built according to government standards.

Opposition parties have accused the Turkish president's administration, Recep Tayip Erdogan, of failing to implement construction regulations.

The Turkish Disaster Management Agency has said that 9,470 posthumously hit the southern Turkish region after the February 6th earthquakes.

Agency officials have said they expect the afternoons to continue for at least two years. / REL