Türkiye would heal quake-victims' wounds, says Northern Cyprus leader

By Mehmet Kemal Firik

LEFKOSA, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (AA) - The president of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) said Türkiye will heal the wounds of the victims of the powerful Feb. 6 earthquakes as soon as possible.

Speaking to Anadolu, Ersin Tatar pointed out the scale of the pain and disaster Türkiye faced.

“In the earthquake-hit areas, construction will be carried out in the light of new developments and technologies and such a disaster will not be allowed to happen again. I believe and trust that Türkiye will heal the wounds of the earthquake as soon as possible."

Tatar also said many earthquake victims came to his country after the twin earthquakes, adding: "We will do our best for the earthquake victims in the TRNC.”

He stressed that the judicial processes for cases continue on the destroyed hotels in Adiyaman, Hatay, and Osmaniye provinces, where some of the 49 TRNC citizens lost their lives in the earthquakes.

“We have made official applications for our citizens who lost their lives in the earthquake. We trust justice and the judiciary that those responsible will receive the necessary punishments.”

More than 46,100 people were killed in Türkiye by the quakes that struck on Feb. 6, according to officials.

The magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 quakes, centered in Kahramanmaras, jolted 11 provinces, including Adana, Adiyaman, Diyarbakir, Gaziantep, Hatay, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye, Elazig, and Sanliurfa.

Around 13.5 million people in Türkiye have been affected, as well as many others in northwestern Syria.

*Writing by Seda Sevencan in Istanbul