Turkey to build shelter areas in quake-hit Elazig

By Gozde Bayar

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey is set to build temporary shelters to host 1,000 families affected by a deadly earthquake in eastern Turkey, the country's interior minister said on Monday.

The 6.8-magnitude quake shook the province of Elazig late on Friday. Tremors were also felt in neighboring Syria and Georgia.

The shelters will be put up in the central Asagi Holpenk district in Elazig, Suleyman Soylu said during a joint press statement with other senior officials.

Soylu added that the shelters would have electricity and hot water, and would be fully constructed in 10 to 15 days.

He said all the needs of earthquake victims would be met across 45 shelter areas in the city.

The government will provide the inhabitants of heavily-damaged houses pending demolition and in need of emergency rent support with a total of 41,000 Turkish liras ($6,891), Soylu said.

Also speaking at the press conference, Environment and Urbanization Minister Murat Kurum said the government would begin building 2,000 new houses in Elazig.

"We aim to rapidly complete damage assessment and start building safe and secure houses for our people," Kurum said.

Health Minister Fahrettin Koca added that 18 out of 86 injured were under intensive care at medical facilities.

Out of 1,607 injured people, 1,516 have been discharged from the hospital, while 45 people who were trapped under the debris of houses and buildings were rescued, according to the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD).

A total of 948 aftershocks were felt, it added.

AFAD said rescue work continues in the region with more than 3,800 personnel, hundreds of vehicles and 22 sniffer dogs.