Erdogan: We have decided to declare a state of emergency in the earthquake zone

Erdoğan made a statement at the State Information Coordination Center in Kahramanmaraş, where coordination studies are carried out for earthquakes affecting 10 provinces.

Pointing out that 2 major earthquakes with Pazarcık and Elbistan epicenters caused great destruction in 10 provinces in a wide area where approximately 13.5 million citizens live, Erdoğan said, according to the “moment tensor” analysis, the magnitude of the Pazarcık epicenter earthquake that occurred at 04.17 was 7.7, 13.24. He reminded that the magnitude of the earthquake with epicenter in Elbistan was 7.6.

Stating that experts describe these two earthquakes as “exceptional ground movements that are independent of each other but trigger each other and that have no example in the world,” Erdoğan said, “Both earthquakes were experienced at a distance of 7 kilometers on earth that exponentially increased the severity of the destruction. It has caused great destruction in a very wide area compared to its counterparts. Therefore, we are faced with one of the biggest disasters not only in the history of our Republic, but also in our geography and the world. Our state, with all its institutions, organizations, personnel, tools, equipment and facilities, has been in the disaster areas with the spirit of mobilization from the first moment of the earthquake. started to work.” he said.

Taking into account the devastating effect of the earthquake that spread to 10 cities, Erdoğan emphasized that they ordered expert personnel and vehicles from all over the country to immediately move to the region, and that despite the difficulties caused by the weather conditions, the teams struggled selflessly to reach the disaster area and participate in the work.

Expressing that the dangers posed by the many aftershocks in the damaged buildings also affected the work negatively, Erdoğan continued as follows:

“Regardless of the difficulty of the conditions, we continue our search and rescue efforts with the support of our citizens and volunteers, using all the means of our state, and with the support of our citizens and volunteers. Currently, our 53,317 search and rescue officers and support personnel are working in the wreckage area, and this number is increasing with each passing hour with additional teams coming from Turkey and abroad. A large number of public officials, non-governmental organization officials and volunteers also take part in aid efforts.

Stating that they have implemented step-by-step measures to meet all the needs of the disaster survivors, from shelter to clothing, from food to heating, Erdogan said, “So far, 54 thousand tents, 102 thousand beds and other necessities have been sent to the region to be delivered to the disaster victims. We have appointed additional governors and district governors to support our administrators.” said.

Stating that all managers of public institutions in all provinces of Turkey are making great efforts to work on the earthquake zone in their own cities, and that a minister in each city oversees the activities carried out, Erdoğan stated that Vice President Fuat Oktay coordinates the works at the AFAD headquarters.

Erdogan said, “We are in constant contact with our friends in the field and follow the developments through the Presidential Crisis Center moment by moment and make the necessary interventions. We immediately allocated a resource of 100 billion liras to our institutions for emergency aid and support activities.” he said.

Pointing out that it is of vital importance to keep the transportation and communication lines open, Erdoğan said, “Due to harsh winter conditions, there are still difficulties in the delivery of search and rescue teams and equipment and aid materials to the earthquake area. For this, no one should use the roads leading to and within the earthquake area unless it is necessary, I remind you again that it should not be done except for urgent needs.” used the phrase.

Noting that they allocate some of the airports in the region only to aid flights, Erdoğan said, “In healthcare, nearly 1,000 ambulances, 241 UMKE teams and a total of 5 thousand health personnel on board two ambulance aircraft have been transferred to the region. donating.” gave the information.

Noting that many personnel from the security forces, as members of the Ministry of Interior and the Turkish Armed Forces, were assigned to search and rescue operations, Erdoğan continued his words as follows:

“Our Turkish Armed Forces is involved in the search and rescue, evacuation and transportation of aid materials with all its facilities, including 10 ships of our Naval Forces and 54 high-capacity cargo aircraft of our Air Force, as well as thousands of personnel in the land units. Our police force is already in the field with all its elements. Our Gendarmerie is already in the field with its thousands of expert personnel. Our Coast Guard Command is on duty all over the disaster area with its 26 cargo planes, ships and boats, and our security guards actively participate in these activities.

We also commissioned our unmanned aerial vehicles for faster and more detailed detection of the effects of the earthquake that spread over a wide area. Thousands of volunteers with search and rescue training and equipment from all over our country flock to the region under the coordination of AFAD. In addition to the units affiliated to our ministries, all our municipalities, regardless of party, send their tools and aid materials to the region.

President Erdoğan also stated that thousands of construction machines that will take part in the restoration of the infrastructure are on the move towards the region from all over the country.

Expressing that they are close witnesses of the sincere efforts of non-governmental organizations since the first moment of the earthquake, Erdoğan said, “Unfortunately, the number of dead and wounded increases as the distance in search and rescue efforts increases. Currently, we have 3,549 deaths and 22,168 injuries. Our greatest consolation is that wreckage of more than 8 thousand citizens so far. undern was saved alive. The injured, who were removed from the rubble, are being treated by being sent to hospitals in other parts of our country, especially in Mersin, Istanbul and Ankara, after their first intervention in the region. “I wish God’s mercy on our citizens who lost their lives, my condolences to their relatives and our nation, and a speedy recovery to our wounded.”

President Erdoğan also stated that they declared a week of national mourning, starting from yesterday until next Sunday, out of respect for the nation’s suffering of this great disaster.

While the search and rescue works in the region continue, each of our institutions takes additional measures related to their own areas of responsibility and announces them to the public.

In this context; Education was suspended until February 13 in schools across the country and until February 20 in schools in the disaster area. All suitable public buildings were allocated for the sheltering needs of the victims.

Starting from places close to the disaster area, the necessary plans are being made to put the hotels, which have already suspended their activities due to the winter season, into the service of the disaster victims. Only in the Antalya region, 50 thousand beds have been prepared for this purpose.

Work continues to ensure that the electricity and natural gas flow, which is interrupted as a precautionary measure or damaged, is maintained in a controlled manner. In order to ensure that there is no interruption in communication, satellite communication terminals were sent to the region. In places where there are demolitions causing disruption of transportation, arrangements are made to ensure traffic flow.

While the state and the nation have joined hands, trying to overcome this historical disaster, we closely follow those who intend to set our people against each other with fake news and distortions. Our prosecutors identify those who attempt to cause social chaos with such inhumane methods, and take the necessary actions quickly.

So far, we have received offers of assistance from 70 different countries and 14 international organizations, and talked to 18 heads of state and government who called us. I would like to thank all our friends, all heads of state and government, who called us, sent messages and made statements to convey their support and offer of help in this difficult day of our country. The support of the international community is valuable to us, not because of the nature of the aid, but because of its morale effect.

I invite our citizens and business world who want to help heal the wounds of the earthquake to donate to AFAD accounts. No fee will be charged for transfers made to AFAD’s Turkish Lira and Foreign Exchange accounts held at all leading banks and participation companies in our country.

However, the gravity of the earthquake disaster and its effects compel us to take extraordinary measures. We declare 10 provinces where earthquakes were experienced as disaster zones effective in general life.

In order to ensure that search and rescue activities and subsequent work can be carried out quickly, we have decided to declare a State of Emergency, based on the authority given to us by Article 119 of the Constitution. We will quickly complete the Presidency and Parliamentary processes regarding this decision, which will cover 10 provinces where the earthquake has been experienced and will last for three months.

With the awareness that we are experiencing one of the biggest disasters not only in our country but also in the world, we are striving to mobilize all the possibilities of the country and the nation in a planned and effective manner.

Of course, there are places where we cannot reach the speed we desire in search and rescue and aid works due to the size of the disaster area, the severity of the destruction, and adverse weather conditions.

But our citizens affected by the disaster should be sure that the state is working with all its might to help them, save their lives and make their lives easier.

By overcoming the difficulties one by one, we are loading into the field with a determination that will not leave any ruins, no debris, no unmet need.

As a country that has left behind many hardships with state-nation solidarity, I hope we will overcome the destruction caused by the earthquake disaster.

Our priority is to speed up search and rescue efforts and to deliver emergency aid.

Then we will quickly start the debris removal and rebuilding activities.