Turkey has begun rebuilding homes after this month’s devastating earthquake. On the other hand, the total number of people killed by the earthquake in Turkey and Syria has exceeded 50 thousand.
160,000 buildings in Turkey were badly affected by the February 6 earthquake, including 520,000 apartment residents who are now in temporary shelters.
The Disaster and Emergency Management Authority in Turkey announced that the death toll rose to 44,218 as of Friday night, while Syria’s latest figures put the death toll at 5,914.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has promised to rebuild houses for the victims within a year. While experts say that authorities should put safety standards before speed in construction.
“Tenders and contracts have been awarded for several projects,” said a Turkish government official on condition of anonymity. The process is moving very fast and there will be no compromise on safety standards.
Officials say additional tents have been sent to the displaced, but victims complain they face a shortage of tents.
Queuing for aid outside a school in the town of Hasa, 67-year-old Malik said he has eight children and is living in a tent. “There is also a problem with rain and moisture in the ground.”
One of the volunteers, Somai Karabusik, said that the lack of tents remains the biggest problem.
President Erdoğan’s government has been criticized for neglecting construction standards by authorities after massive building collapses in the earthquake.
According to the initial plan of the Turkish government, 200,000 apartments and 70,000 houses will be built in the villages, which will cost 15 billion dollars.
According to the estimates of the American JP Morgan Bank, 25 billion dollars will be required for the reconstruction of the housing and infrastructure of the earthquake victims in Turkey.