Death toll rises after three weeks in deadly quakes

KAHRAMANMARAŞ

At least 44,374 people lost their lives following 7.7 and 7.6 magnitude earthquakes that rocked the country’s south on Feb. 6, Türkiye’s Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) has announced.

On Feb. 6, 2023, two earthquakes with magnitudes of 7.7 centered in Pazarcık and 7.6 centered in Elbistan struck the southern provinces, with 9,136 aftershocks experienced so far.

Another 6.4 magnitude tremor that hit Hatay on Feb. 20 claimed six lives, while some 20 million people have been affected by the devastating quakes.

Several countries in the region, including Syria and Lebanon, also felt the strong tremors that struck Türkiye.

Four mobile social service centers were assigned to disaster psychological support efforts in Kahramanmaraş, Hatay, Osmaniye, and Malatya.

Nearly 912,000 people have received psychosocial support, with some 615,000 in the earthquake zone and 297,000 outside the quake zone, AFAD said.

It was reported that 528,146 citizens were evacuated from the earthquake-affected regions to other cities.

Some 335,382 tents were installed, while the installations of container cities also continue in the 11 quake-hit provinces at some 130 points.

The number of people who have received shelter services in tents, containers, dormitories, hotels, public guesthouses and Education Ministry’s facilities has reached nearly 1.9 million.

Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum stated that 156,000 buildings consisting of nearly 507,000 independent sections were determined to be destroyed, to be urgently demolished and severely damaged due to the Feb. 6 earthquakes.

Stating that his ministry has started the construction of the 855 houses in Nurdağı and İslahiye districts of Gaziantep by the Housing Development Administration (TOKİ), Kurum said they will construct a total of 73,972 village houses in the earthquake zone.