President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan arrived in Kahramanmaraş on Wednesday after a series of high-magnitude earthquakes that shook 10 provinces and said that all the country's resources had been mobilized, calling for unity.
Speaking to reporters, President Erdoğan updated the latest death toll to 8,574. He said another 49,133 people were injured and 6,444 buildings collapsed in the earthquake.
Türkiye has taken action with all its institutions since Monday's deadly quakes, the president added, underlining that all resources were being used to help the affected people.
"Our citizens should not worry; we will never allow them to stay on the street," he said and highlighted that earthquake victims can stay in contracted hotels in Antalya, Alanya and Mersin provinces.
Erdoğan visited the epicenter of the 7.7 magnitude earthquake, Kahramanmaraş. His first stopover was at the 12 Şubat stadium in the city, where tents were set up for survivors. There, he spoke to victims before holding a news conference. He is scheduled to visit Hatay province next.
The 7.7 and 7.6 magnitude earthquakes, centered in the Kahramanmaraş province, struck 10 provinces and affected more than 13 million people. Türkiye is observing a seven-day national mourning after the devastating quakes.
The president said the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) spearheaded the efforts in cooperation with local municipalities, and all relevant government agencies were working to respond to the disaster's fallout. He noted that all Cabinet ministers were in earthquake-hit areas and coordinating efforts. He acknowledged that there had been "some problems" (in response) on the first day but added that no citizens would be left behind. He also said that there were "problems with roads and airports" initially and still some "minor problems" related to fuel supplies to the disaster-stricken areas. "We are in a better place now (in terms of disaster response) and will be better tomorrow and later," he said.
"We have a significant room capacity (in hotels). If our citizens do not want to stay in tents here, we will accommodate them in hotels. They would be provided accommodation, food, etc. for free there. It can also help us (to accommodate more people here). Our work will be accelerated," he said. He added that the supply of heating materials would address heating problems in tents.
Erdoğan also called upon the public not to fall for "provocateurs," referring to fake news regarding the earthquake. "I want our journalists not to allow (disinformation). It is time for unity and solidarity," he said.
The president emphasized that all families affected by the earthquake would be assisted, and they allocated a large budget. He said each family would be supplied TL 10,000 ($530).
He promised "mass housing operations" to be launched in the 10 provinces hit within the year, "just as we did in other provinces where we experienced disasters." After the 2020 Elazığ and Malatya earthquakes, Türkiye built thousands of homes for survivors who lost their homes and handed them to the owners within three years.
For search and rescue operations to be carried out rapidly, Türkiye on Tuesday announced a three-month state of emergency in the earthquake-hit provinces Adana, Adıyaman, Diyarbakır, Gaziantep, Hatay, Kahramanmaraş, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye and Şanlıurfa.
