Elazığ included in quake-hit provinces

ANKARA

Eastern province of Elazığ has been included in the earthquake zone, stated Ömer Çelik, the spokesman of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).

Stating that due to the damage the province suffered in the devastating quakes, Elazığ was included in the earthquake zones, Çelik said, “We will now refer to them as 11 provinces.”

Noting that the region is facing the biggest natural disaster in the last century, Çelik pointed out that an intensive activity is taking place in the provinces declared as a general disaster zone.

“We all see together how the state and the nation unite in a mobilization and run to the aid in terms of meeting the needs of our citizens,” he expressed.

Çelik also announced that more than 200,000 people were transferred to other provinces.

The 10,000 Turkish Liras of aid, which is provided to each earthquake victim, has started to be deposited into their bank accounts, he said.

Çelik added that these payments are made to the bank accounts of people who have official residence records in the buildings whose damage assessment has been completed.

Damage assessment studies have been completed in 337,933 households so far.