Death toll climbs to 45,089 from twin earthquakes in SE Türkiye
Efforts to remove the wreckage of the destroyed buildings in Kahramanmaraş, continue, Feb. 26, 2023. (AA Photo)


The Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) has confirmed that at least 45,089 people have died in the Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquakes that jolted southeastern Türkiye on Feb. 6.

AFAD said that 11,020 aftershocks occurred after the twin earthquakes in Kahramanmaraş, Gaziantep, Şanlıurfa, Diyarbakır, Adana, Adıyaman, Osmaniye, Hatay, Kilis, Malatya and Elazığ. In addition, the number of people who were evacuated or left the quake-hit regions by their own means and registered to the district governorships in the provinces they went to has reached nearly 2 million.

A total of 6,368 search and rescue personnel, consisting of AFAD, Police Search and Rescue (PAK), Gendarmerie Search and Rescue (JAK), Gendarmerie Special Public Security Command (JÖAK), the coast guard, fire brigade, Ministry of National Education (MEB), nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and international search and rescue personnel are still working in the region.

In addition, 234,636 people from AFAD, police, gendarmerie, Ministry of National Defense, the National Medical Rescue Team (UMKE), local security and support teams, volunteers and field personnel are in the earthquake zones.

Some 18,400 vehicles, including excavators, tow trucks, cranes, dozers, trucks, water trucks, trailers, graders, vacuum trucks and similar construction equipment, continue to operate in the disaster area.

With the air bridge established for personnel and material shipment to the region, 116 helicopters and 76 planes affiliated with the Air Forces Command and land forces, and 38 ships from the navy, Coast Guard Command, Gendarmerie General Command, General Directorate of Security, Ministry of Health and General Directorate of Forestry have carried out 13,999 combat missions to date.

The installation of 358,037 tents, which were sent to the regions heavily affected by the earthquake by ministries, relevant institutions and organizations, and different countries and international organizations, have been completed. While container cities are being created in 11 provinces at 332 points, installations continue in 10 areas and 162 points.

The number of people provided with shelter services in tents, containers, state dormitories, hotels, public guesthouses and other facilities in and outside the disaster area reached 1,915,687.

Four mobile social service centers were assigned in Kahramanmaraş, Hatay, Osmaniye and Malatya for disaster psychosocial support activities. As a result, psychosocial support was provided to 1,025,291 people, 691,388 in the earthquake zone and 333,903 outside the quake zone.