Breaking news… Two major earthquakes in Kahramanmaraş caused great destruction in 10 cities. Explaining the latest situation regarding the earthquake, President Erdoğan of the AKP said, “Currently, we have 3,549 deaths and 20,534 injured people.” Erdogan announced that he had decided to declare a state of emergency in 10 provinces for 3 months.
Two earthquakes with a magnitude of 7.7 and 7.6 in Kahramanmaraş caused heavy damage in Kilis, Diyarbakır, Gaziantep, Adana, Osmaniye, Şanlıurfa, Adıyaman, Malatya and Hatay. 7 days of national mourning has been declared in Turkey.
President of AKP, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, made statements about the latest developments after the earthquake.
“Declaring that 3 thousand 549 people have lost their lives and 20 thousand 534 injured at the moment, Erdoğan announced that a state of emergency was declared in 10 provinces affected by the earthquake for 3 months.
Erdoğan stated that schools in disaster areas are on holiday until February 20.
Headlines from Erdogan’s statements are as follows:
We immediately gave instructions to our expert personnel all over the country. The dangers posed by a large number of aftershocks in damaged buildings affect the region negatively.
This number is increasing with 53 thousand 317 search and rescue officers and support personnel, and additional teams from Turkey and abroad.
Many more public, NGO workers and volunteers are also involved in relief efforts.
54 thousand tents, 102 thousand beds and other necessities were sent to the region. A minister in each province oversees the activities carried out.
In the first stage, we allocated a resource of 100 billion liras to our institutions. Keeping transportation and communication lines open is vital. I remind you that no one should use the roads leading to and within the earthquake zone unless it is necessary, and that phone calls should not be made except for urgent needs.
In addition to the land elements of the TAF, 10 ships of our Naval Forces take part in the transport of aid materials with cargo planes of our Air Force. We have also activated our unmanned aerial vehicles.
Our biggest consolation is that more than 8 thousand of our citizens have been rescued from the rubble so far.
LOSS OF LIVES AND NUMBER OF INJURED INCREASES
Currently, we have 3,549 deaths and 22,168 injuries. Our biggest consolation is that more than 8 thousand of our citizens have been rescued from the rubble so far.
NATIONAL MORNING
Our biggest consolation is that 5,725 of our citizens have been rescued alive from the rubble so far. The injured, who were pulled out from under the rubble, are being treated by being sent to hospitals in other parts of our country, especially in Mersin, Istanbul and Ankara, after their first intervention in the region. I wish God’s mercy on our citizens who lost their lives, my condolences to their relatives and our nation, and a speedy recovery to our wounded. We declared a week of national mourning, starting from yesterday until the next Sunday, in tribute to the pain we have suffered as a nation for this great disaster we have been through.
SHELTER
While the search and rescue works in the region continue, each of our institutions takes additional measures related to their own areas of responsibility and announces them to the public. In this context; Education was suspended until February 13 in schools across the country and until February 20 in schools in the disaster area. All suitable public buildings were allocated for the sheltering needs of the victims.
Starting from places close to the disaster area, the necessary plans are being made to put the hotels, which have already suspended their activities due to the winter season, into the service of the disaster victims. Only in the Antalya region, 50 thousand beds have been prepared for this purpose. Work continues to ensure that the electricity and natural gas flow, which is interrupted as a precautionary measure or damaged, is maintained in a controlled manner. In order to ensure that there is no interruption in communication, satellite communication terminals were sent to the region. In places where there are demolitions causing disruption of transportation, arrangements are made to ensure traffic flow.
“I INVITE YOU TO DONATE”
I invite our citizens and business world who want to help heal the wounds of the earthquake to donate to AFAD accounts. No fee will be charged for transfers made to AFAD’s Turkish Lira and foreign currency accounts in all leading banks and participation companies in our country.
10 PROVINCES DISASTER REGIONS AND A STATE OF EMERGENCY DECLARED
However, the gravity of the earthquake disaster and its effects compel us to take extraordinary measures. We declare 10 provinces where earthquakes were experienced as disaster zones effective in general life.
In order to ensure that search and rescue activities and subsequent work can be carried out quickly, we have decided to declare a State of Emergency, based on the authority given to us by Article 119 of the Constitution. We will quickly complete the Presidency and Parliamentary processes regarding this decision, which will cover 10 provinces where the earthquake was experienced and will last for three months.”
