22 days have passed after two major earthquakes in Kahramanmaraş. While the balance sheet is getting heavier day by day in the disaster of the century that left devastating damage in 11 provinces, debris removal works continue in Adana, Gaziantep, Hatay, Malatya, Kilis, Osmaniye, Diyarbakır, Şanlıurfa, Adıyaman and Elazığ, as well as the epicenter of Kahramanmaraş. So what was the number of dead and injured on February 27?
Earthquakes with a magnitude of 6 and 7,7 that occurred in Pazarcık and Elbistan districts of Kahramanmaraş on Monday, February 7,6, were felt in Gaziantep, Şanlıurfa, Diyarbakır, Adana, Adıyaman, Osmaniye, Hatay, Kilis and Malatya. According to the latest data released by AFAD, 22 days after the disaster, 44 thousand 374 people lost their lives in Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquakes.
Expressing that 9 aftershocks have been experienced so far and that the recovery and recovery process continues in the region, AFAD President Yunus Sezer said, “Search and rescue work has been completed in nearly 990 thousand buildings. We are currently fully focused on debris removal.” he said. Sezer underlined that intensive work continues on the construction of tents, containers and permanent residences within the scope of improvement works, and continued as follows:
“All steps are being taken to normalize life as soon as possible. Unfortunately, we have lost 44 people in this process. I wish God's mercy, condolences to our nation. Intense work continues. Currently, 374 search and rescue personnel accompany the wreckage studies and other works carried out there, and approximately 8 thousand of our personnel are currently continuing their work.
From international search and rescue, 1180 personnel are still trying to support humanitarian aid activities. Wreckage studies continue in our provinces and districts. Currently, 12 thousand 171 construction machines are actively in the region. We use aircraft extensively to send both humanitarian aid and tents. We are trying to reach our villages and the most remote points in the earthquake zone. Air elements belonging to our air, land, forces, coast guard, security, gendarmerie and naval forces operate intensively in this region.”
Stating that 334 thousand 321 of the evacuated citizens stayed in guesthouses and hotels outside the disaster area, Sezer said, “Work continues in the region with both non-governmental organizations and relevant units of our ministries in terms of nutrition under the coordination of our Red Crescent. Currently, 80 million 965 thousand hot meals and 14 million 539 thousand food packages are distributed in the region.
Expressing that psychosocial support continues, Sezer said that 7 thousand 327 personnel are currently working in the region and that approximately one million people are provided with psychosocial support.
How Many Buildings Destroyed in Earthquakes?
It has been announced that search and rescue efforts have been completed in provinces except Kahramanmaraş and Hatay. In earthquake zones, damage assessment was carried out in 830 million 783 thousand 3 independent units in 273 thousand 605 buildings. It has been determined that 105 thousand 794 independent units in 384 thousand 545 buildings, whose damage assessment work has been completed, are in need of urgent demolition, heavily damaged and demolished.
It was determined that 24 thousand 464 independent units in 133 thousand 575 buildings were moderately damaged. It was determined that 205 million 86 thousand 1 independent units in 91 thousand 720 buildings were slightly damaged, and 407 million 786 thousand 1 independent units in 409 thousand 654 buildings were undamaged.