KAHRAMANMARAS/ANTAKYA, Turkey - President Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday (Feb 8) admitted there were problems with his government's initial response to a devastating earthquake in southern Turkey, amid anger from those left destitute and frustrated over the slow arrival of rescue teams. Erdogan, who contests an election in May, said on a visit to the disaster zone that operations were now working...
A handout photo. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan meets with people in the aftermath of a deadly earthquake in Kahramanmaras, Turkey, on Feb 8, 2023.
There were similar scenes and complaints in neighbouring Syria, whose north was hard hit by Monday's huge quake. The confirmed death toll rose to 9,057 in Turkey on Wednesday, and in Syria had climbed to at least 2,950, according to the government and a rescue service operating in the rebel-held northwest.Turkish authorities released video of rescued survivors, including a young girl in pyjamas, and an older man covered in dust, an unlit cigarette between his fingers as he was pulled from the debris.
The delivery of UN humanitarian aid via Turkey to millions of people in northwest Syria could resume on Thursday after the long-running operation was halted by the quake, UN officials said., staff at the Al-Razi hospital attended to an injured man who said more than a dozen relatives including his mother and father were killed when the building they were in collapsed.in 10 provinces and sent troops to help, arrived in Kahramanmaras to view the damage and see the rescue and relief effort.
He later condemned criticism of the government's response. "This is a time for unity, solidarity. In a period like this, I cannot stomach people conducting negative campaigns for political interest," Erdogan told reporters in the southern province of Hatay.
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