State of emergency in 10 quake-hit provinces coming into effect: Turkish president

A three-month state of emergency to speed up rescue and aid efforts in Türkiye’s quake-hit provinces will enter into force later on Thursday, the nation’s president said, News.Az reports citing Anadolu Agency. 

"The state of emergency will be in effect following today's vote in parliament," President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said while inspecting search and rescue efforts in the southern Gaziantep province, where the deadly earthquakes hit.

Erdogan said that at least 14,014 people were killed and 63,794 others injured when two earthquakes – centered in the Kahramanmaras province – on Monday jolted southern Türkiye, affecting more than 13 million people across 10 provinces, also including Adana, Adiyaman, Diyarbakir, Gaziantep, Hatay, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye, and Sanliurfa.

To speed up search and rescue operations, Türkiye on Tuesday announced a three-month state of emergency in the quake-hit provinces.

Erdogan said the state of emergency will give an opportunity to foil moneylenders and seditious groups who try to exploit the aftermath of the quake disaster.

"Our state has been in the field with all its institutions starting from the moment of the earthquakes," he added.

The president also pledged to rebuild the region as part of a one-year plan.

Erdogan also announced that containers, also coming from abroad, will be distributed to the victims.

Later, he will visit the Osmaniye and Kilis provinces to meet with earthquake victims.

On Wednesday, Erdogan inspected ongoing search and rescue work, as well as relief efforts in the Adana, Hatay, and Kahramanmaras provinces, in addition to one of the quake epicenters Pazarcik, where he met survivors in tent cities.

News.Az 

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