Turkey begins rebuilding homes for 1.5 million people left homeless by earthquake

Antakya/Ankara, Turkey:

Turkey has begun rebuilding homes after this month’s devastating earthquakes, a government official said on Friday, as the combined death toll in Turkey and Syria passed 50,000.

More than 160,000 buildings containing 520,000 apartments collapsed or were severely damaged in the February 6 earthquake, which killed thousands in Turkey and neighboring Syria.

The Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) announced that the death toll due to the earthquake in Turkey rose to 44,218 on Friday night.

With Syria’s latest announced death toll of 5,914, the combined death toll in the two countries rose above 50,000.

President Tayyip Erdogan, who faces elections within months, has promised to rebuild homes within a year, although experts have said authorities should focus on safety before speed. Some buildings that were built to withstand tremors collapsed in the latest earthquakes.

“Tenders and contracts have been awarded for several projects. The process is progressing very fast,” the official said on condition of anonymity. There will be no compromise on security.

Officials say that tents have been sent to many homeless people, but people have told that they are having trouble getting there.

Melek, 67, said, “I have eight children. We are living in a tent. There is water on top (of the tent) and the ground is wet. We are asking for more tents and they are not giving us.” Joe was standing in a queue outside a high school in the town of Hassa to seek help.

The school was being used as an aid distribution center by a group of volunteers called Interrail Turkey. Sumey Karabocek, a volunteer, said the biggest problem was the lack of tents.

1.5 lakh new houses needed

Erdogan’s government has faced a wave of criticism over what many Turks say have been both its response to the catastrophe and years of non-enforcement of construction quality controls.

He said the Turkish government’s initial plan is now to build 200,000 apartments and 70,000 rural houses at a cost of at least $15 billion. US bank JP Morgan estimated that the reconstruction of the houses and infrastructure would cost $25 billion.

UNDP said it estimated that the destruction left 1.5 million people homeless, with 500,000 new homes needed.

It said it had requested $113.5 million of the $1 billion in funds appealed by the United Nations last week, adding that it would focus the money on clearing mountains of debris.

UNDP estimates that the disaster produced between 116 million and 210 million tons of debris, compared with 13 million tons of debris after the 1999 earthquake in northwest Turkey.

Turkey also issued new rules under which companies and charities can build homes and workplaces for those in need to donate to the Ministry of Urbanization.

Many survivors have fled the region of southern Turkey that was hit by the quake or have settled in tents, container houses and other government-sponsored housing.

In Antakya, Seyid Sleiman Ertoglu, 56, loaded his remaining stock from his waterpipe shop that was not damaged.

“The glassware was very beautiful, more than usual, but then we had this (the earthquake), and it was all ruined,” he said, adding that his house and shop survived the first tremor, but not the latter. He estimated that only 5% of his cargo survived.

“what can we do?” They said. “It is an act of God, and the will of God always gives gifts.”

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