Turkey halts earthquake rescue efforts except in 2 worst-affected provinces

The official said that search and rescue efforts have been completed in many of our provinces.

Istanbul:

Turkey has suspended rescue efforts in all but two provinces hit by last week’s massive earthquake that killed thousands, the Turkish disaster agency said on Sunday.

“Search and rescue efforts have been completed in several of our provinces. They are continuing in Kahramanmaras and Hatay provinces,” agency head Yunus Sezer told reporters in Ankara.

The epicenter of the 7.8 magnitude earthquake was in the Pajarsik district of Kahramanmaras.

Cesar said search and rescue efforts continued in about 40 buildings across the provinces for the 14th day, but expected that number to drop by Sunday evening.

The agency chief also said Turkey’s death toll had risen to 40,689.

The total death toll including Syria now stands at 44,377.

Turkey’s Vice President Fuat Oktay said on Saturday that some 105,000 buildings either collapsed, needed to be demolished or were seriously damaged in the earthquake.

Rescue teams were searching for survivors after the earthquake.

It has since slowed down and no survivors have been reported in at least 24 hours.

Local media reported on Saturday that rescuers found a man and a woman alive in the 296th hour in the southern Turkish city of Antakya, but their three children did not survive.

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