50,576 buildings need to be demolished urgently in quake-hit provinces, minister says

Turkish Environment and Urbanization Minister Murat Kurum has indicated that 50,576 buildings in 11 earthquake-stricken provinces “need to be demolished urgently.”

Duvar English

Turkish Environment and Urbanization Minister Murat Kurum said on Feb. 15 that 50,576 buildings in 11 earthquake-stricken provinces “need to be demolished urgently.”

“Our damage assessment works continue with 7,100 personnel. 387,346 buildings were examined. According to our findings so far, there are 50,576 buildings that need to be demolished urgently. 279,655 buildings are slightly damaged or undamaged. We will quickly demolish what needs to be demolished and build safe houses,” Kurum said on Twitter, adding details for each province.

Turkey’s southern region was hit by two powerful earthquakes on Feb. 6, one at a magnitude of 7.7 and the other 7.6.

As of Feb. 15, the death toll from devastating earthquakes rose to 35,418 according to official figures, whereas 105,505 people have been injured. Demolished buildings has been yet recorded as 6,444.

According to Minister Kurum, the number of buildings that are determined as heavily damaged and need to be demolished in 11 provinces is as follows:

Adana: 46

Adıyaman: 6,108

Diyarbakır: 520

Elazığ: 587

Gaziantep: 11,922

Hatay: 10,911

Kahramanmaraş: 10,777

Kilis: 585

Malatya: 6,599

Osmaniye: 2,122

Şanlıurfa: 399

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