UPDATE - All resources mobilized in Türkiye after powerful quakes, says President Erdogan

ADDS MORE REMARKS FROM TURKISH PRESIDENT, BACKGROUND

By Diyar Guldogan

ANKARA (AA) - Türkiye has taken action with all its institutions and resources since Monday's deadly earthquakes in its southern provinces, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday.

"We have mobilized all our resources. The state is working with municipalities, especially AFAD (Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency), with all its means," Erdogan said as he inspected relief efforts in Kahramanmaras province, where two powerful quakes that shook the region were centered, affecting nine other provinces and more than 13 million people.

Erdogan said that at least 8,574 people were killed and 49,133 others injured in Türkiye after the earthquakes, which were also felt in nearby countries, including Syria and Lebanon.

He added that a total of 6,444 buildings collapsed due to the 7.7 and 7.6 magnitude quakes that occurred in the space of less than 10 hours.

Noting that certain hotels in the provinces of Mersin and Antalya, including Alanya district, had opened their doors to earthquake victims, Erdogan said: "Our citizens should not worry. We will never allow for them to remain unsheltered."

Each family affected by the tremors will receive 10,000 Turkish liras ($530), he added, promising "mass housing operations" to be launched in the 10 provinces hit within the year, "just as we did in other provinces where we experienced disasters."

For search and rescue operations to be carried out rapidly, Türkiye on Tuesday announced a three-month state of emergency in the quake-hit provinces Adana, Adiyaman, Diyarbakir, Gaziantep, Hatay, Kahramanmaras, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye, and Sanliurfa.

Türkiye is observing seven days of national mourning after the devastating quakes.

All national sports events in the country have been suspended until further notice. Schools nationwide will be closed until Feb. 13, and education in the 10 affected provinces is on hold until Feb. 20.

After the quakes, condolences poured in from around the world expressing solidarity with Türkiye, with many countries sending rescue teams and aid.