Türkiye: State of Emergency in 10 Earthquake-Affected Provinces

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared a three-month state of emergency on Tuesday in 10 provinces affected by the strong earthquakes recorded on Monday that, according to the latest updates, have left 5 895 dead and 34 810 injured. 

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 The ten affected provinces are Kahramanmaras, Adana, Adiyaman, Osmaniye, Hatay, Kilis, Malatya, Sanliurfa, Diyarbakir and Gaziantep, where some 53 300 search and rescue personnel have been deployed.  

"We have decided to declare a state of emergency to ensure that our work can be carried out quickly," Erdogan told a press conference, noting that search and rescue operations are continuing "at a rapid pace."

According to the latest update from Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay, the death toll stands at 5 895 and the number of injured at 34 810, figures that are updated every hour.

We declare our 10 provinces where the earthquake occurred as disaster zones effective in public life. To ensure that search and rescue activities and subsequent work can be carried out quickly, we have decided to declare a State of Emergency for three months in 10 provinces in accordance with Article 119 of the Constitution.

The Turkish President described the tragedy as "one of the greatest catastrophes not only in the country's history, of our geography, but also the world."

More than 5 billion dollars in emergency aid will be allocated to alleviate the consequences, according to Erdogan, who said it is planned to "accommodate those affected in hotels in the regions, above all, close to the disaster area."

Two major earthquakes of 7.7 and 7.6 magnitudes shook Kahramanmaras province on Monday, followed by several aftershocks. The catastrophe has caused significant destruction in a wide area, with thousands of deaths and the razing of thousands of buildings.