Ankara, 16 Feb. 2023 (Anadolu News)

At least 36,187 people were killed and over 108,000 injured by the two strong earthquakes that jolted southern Türkiye last week, the country’s disaster agency said on Thursday in the latest figures from the natural disaster.

The Feb. 6 magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 earthquakes, centered in the Kahramanmaras province, affected more than 13 million people across 11 provinces, including Adana, Adiyaman, Diyarbakir, Gaziantep, Hatay, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye, Sanliurfa, and Elazig.

Several countries in the region, including Syria and Lebanon, also felt the strong tremors that struck Türkiye in the space of less than 10 hours.

More than 253,000 search and rescue personnel are currently working in the field, the Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) said in a statement. At least 216,347 people have been evacuated from the quake-hit regions so far, AFAD added.

Condolences have poured in from around the world expressing solidarity with Türkiye, with many countries sending rescue teams and aid.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry on Thursday said a total of 7,098 foreign personnel from 74 nations are currently continuing their efforts in the field.

Air bridge for life

Psychosocial support was provided to a total of 422,844 people, including 332,049 in the earthquake zone and 90,795 outside it.

Besides rescue teams, 3.2 million blankets, 283,410 tents, food, and psychological support teams were also sent to the affected areas, along with over 12,500 vehicles, including excavators, tractors, and bulldozers.

More than 2.6 million blankets and 48,271 housing container units have been sent to the 10 worst-hit provinces, said AFAD.

​After the initial earthquake, an air bridge was established by the Turkish Armed Forces to deliver relief supplies and search and rescue teams to the region.

A large fleet of aircraft, including A-400Ms, carried search and rescue teams and vehicles to the region. Ambulance planes also use the air bridge.

Rescue and relief personnel and materials were sent to the region with 121 helicopters and 75 aircraft, AFAD said. A total of 26 ships were also assigned to the region for shipping personnel and aid supplies and for evacuating people.

More building contractors detained across Türkiye in wake of twin quakes

More contractors and others responsible for poorly constructed buildings that collapsed and caused heavy casualties in last week’s devastating earthquakes were detained across Türkiye on Thursday, sources said.

In southern Kahramanmaras province’s Turkoglu district, three people were detained within the scope of an investigation regarding buildings that caved in due to the Feb. 6 twin quakes, which have killed over 38,000 people and left over 108,000 others injured.

Another five contractors were detained in Istanbul on the grounds of “killing by negligence” under the coordination of the Kahramanmaras Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office.

Two more people suspected of being involved in defective construction work were detained in southeastern Osmaniye province. Meanwhile, in southern Adana province, the number of people detained over faulty building work increased to 12.

Separately, two suspects, one of whom is a contractor, were arrested in southeastern Sanliurfa province in an investigation into the collapse of a building that claimed 17 lives. Similarly, a civil engineer who designed a defective building in Sanliurfa’s Haliliye district was also apprehended. The structure’s sudden collapse killed 14 people.