We will build new houses in one year: Erdoğan

KAHRAMANMARAŞ

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has reiterated the government’s pledge to build new houses for quake victims within one year, saying they have already started the work on constructions.

“We have started to work on the necessary construction of our cities. We will be starting the construction of 309,000 houses in a few months. We ask you to give one year for this,” Erdoğan said in the southern province of Kahramanmaraş.

“We have the determination and the power to make up for all the destruction. We have not harmed anyone so far,” Erdoğan added.

Erdoğan, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli and Great Union Party (BBP Chair Mustafa Destici visited the quake-hit province of Kahramanmaraş.

“The disaster we experienced reminded us of the earthquake reality,” the president said, warning the citizens to stay away from damaged buildings in the quake-hit provinces.

“We are aware of the magnitude of the pain experienced by our earthquake victims. It is impossible not to be touched by the acumen and fortitude displayed by our nation. During our visits to provinces and districts, we see that our nation has faced this test with dignity,” he stated.

The government will work with all its strength not to witness such a period again where building collapse and people die in the rubble and will accelerate urban transformation works in all cities under earthquake threat, Erdoğan said.

“We have all experienced together how indispensable our urban transformation projects are for our country. Now, whoever tries to prevent these works with their poisonous language or by provoking our people will directly stab our nation and country in the back,” he stated.

More than 41,000 personnel worked in Kahramanmaraş after the deadly tremors on Feb. 6, which killed 12,683 people in the province, the president said.

A total of 20,300 earthquake victims were evacuated by the government, Erdoğan said, noting that 461,000 others are taking shelter in places provided by the state in Kahramanmaraş and are receiving physiological support.

“We are continuing the tent and container city installations. There is no problem with electricity in the area. Natural gas and water issues have also been largely resolved,” he said, adding that the government is also supporting farmers.

Defense minister: Nearly 42,000 Syrians returned to their homeland

About 42,000 Syrians in Türkiye have voluntarily returned to their homeland after the deadly earthquakes, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said on Feb. 28.

The Syrians, who “lost their home, children and relatives” in the region after the quakes have been returning to their country, Akar told reporters at a press conference in the southern province of Hatay.

Türkiye is currently hosting around 3.7 million Syrians, with a significant portion of them residing in the earthquake-hit region.