(Istanbul) The death toll from the earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria on Monday has risen to more than 11,200, according to the latest official reports released on Wednesday.
The death toll in Turkey has reached 8,574, announced Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who visited the city of Kahramanmaras, epicenter of the earthquake, while in Syria 2,662 bodies have been removed from the rubble.
According to the Turkish president, 50,000 people were injured and rescued three days after the disaster.
Syrian doctors and authorities for their part mentioned 5,000 wounded.
“We had difficulties at the start with the airports and on the roads, but today it is better and it will be even better tomorrow”, affirmed the Turkish head of state to defuse the criticisms and the anger which emerge vis-a-vis to the slowness of the rescue.
PHOTO UMIT BEKTAS, REUTERS
“We have mobilized all our resources, the State is doing its job with Afad (public relief organization) and the municipalities concerned with all the means at its disposal”, he insisted.
Erdogan, in power since 2003 and seeking re-election in May, also announced the distribution of 10,000 Turkish liras (CA$711) to each affected family.