Erdogan announced today a series of measures to deal with immediate problems – The homeless are in student dormitories, the presentation of 13,000 conscripts to the army is postponed – Life courses at universities are suspended
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited Diyarbakır on Saturday in an attempt to reach out to those affected by the deadly earthquakes and ease the wave of anger and protests from citizens that were also expressed with disapproval of a minister and an MP of his party earlier today in the region of Diyarbakir.
Flanked by his wife, Emine, who at one point held a child in her arms, Erdogan said Monday’s earthquake was “three times bigger and three times more destructive than the 1999 earthquake, which is the biggest disaster in memory of our country. This earthquake, described as the disaster of the century, caused destruction in an area of 500 kilometers, although it was felt in an area of almost a thousand kilometers.’
He announced that the death toll in Turkey has reached 21,043 and added that rescue teams are being moved to areas where the greatest disasters have occurred.
“We have mobilized all the means of our state,” Erdogan said according to Anadolu and added:
“Trust us, believe us. We have not and will not leave our citizens on the street, in hardship or in poverty. We are making plans to rebuild hundreds of thousands of homes and to rebuild our cities that were destroyed in the earthquake.”
The Turkish president said that 160,000 people are currently working in 10 provinces, along with the teams coming from abroad.
“We know very well that there is no reward for these heroes who do not seek publicity, fame or the limelight,” he said of the rescuers.
Erdoğan blamed critics saying: “Some centers, political parties, NGOs are immoral, obscene. They are attacking at a time when unity should be at its peak.”
He also said that the victims of the earthquake will find shelter in the student residences of all universities, as until the summer all life courses are suspended and university education will continue only remotely.
Finally, he announced that 13,000 people who had to be drafted in March and April will report to the army in May
The government will take action against those involved in looting
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said today that the government will take action against those involved in looting and other crimes in the region hit hardest by devastating earthquakes earlier this week.
Hundreds of thousands of buildings are uninhabitable across southern Turkey and authorities will take steps to rebuild damaged cities within weeks, the Turkish president said.
“We have declared a state of emergency. This means that henceforth those involved in looting or kidnapping should know that the heavy hand of the state is on their backs,” he said.
Erdogan said yesterday that looting had been observed in some areas. However, it is not clear which kidnapping incidents he was referring to.
Security in the quake-hit zone came under the spotlight after the Austrian military suspended rescue operations there due to what its spokesman described as “increasing difficulty in the security sector”.
The death toll from the earthquake in Turkey alone reached 21,043, as announced by the Turkish president.
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