Fresh 5.3 magnitude quake hits Turkey as country begins rebuilding homes

Another earthquake of magnitude 5.3 hit the central Turkish province of Nigde on Saturday as the country began rebuilding homes following this month's devastating earthquakes.

Another earthquake struck Turkey on Saturday, just weeks after the border areas of the country were devastated by a larger quake that killed more than 50,000 people and damaged or destroyed hundreds of thousands of homes.

Today’s quake, this time with a magnitude of 5.3, was centred near the central Turkish province of Nigde, the Turkish disaster agency said.

The quake hit on the day Turkey began its work to rebuild homes for the 1.5 million people who were displaced.

More than one lakh buildings containing over 5 lakh apartments collapsed or were severely damaged in the February 6 earthquake and 40 aftershocks, Reuters reported.

The Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) announced the death count in Turkey due to earthquakes rose to 44,218 on Friday night. With Syria’s latest announced death count of 5,914, the combined death count in the two countries rose to above 50,000.

Facing election heat within months, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has pledged to rebuild homes within a year, although experts have said the authorities should put safety before speed. Some buildings that were meant to withstand tremors crumbled in the latest earthquakes.

The government has also dispatched tents for the many who are now homeless.

MASSIVE REBUILD

The Turkish government’s initial plan now is to build 2,00,000 apartments and 70,000 village houses at a cost of at least $15 billion, Reuters reported. The United Nations Development Programme said it estimated that the destruction has left 1.5 million people homeless, with 500,000 new homes needed.

It said it had requested $113.5 million from the $1 billion in funds appealed for by the United Nations last week, adding that it would focus this money on clearing away mountains of rubble.

Many quake survivors have left the region of southern Turkey that was hit by the quake or have been settled in tents, container homes and other government-sponsored accommodation.

Story credit: India Today

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