Monitoring Desk
ISLAMABAD: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has acknowledged that the government’s response to Monday’s quake has not been as fast as he had hoped.
He has faced criticism from survivors about an inadequate number of rescue workers and humanitarian assistance being delivered in the first days after the earthquake hit.
18,991 people have died in earthquake: Turkish Authorities
Speaking to journalists in the southern city of Adiyaman, which was also struck by the quake, he said in comments reported by AFP: ” Many buildings were damaged that, unfortunately, we were not capable of speeding up our interferences as quickly as we had wished.”
Turkish President also said several people were robbing markets and attacking business centers, saying that a state of emergency declared in the affected areas would permit the state to impose the essentials penalties.
Turkish authorities and medics said that more than 18,991 people have died due to the earthquake, while there have been more than 3,377 deaths in Syria.
Reports said that the death toll from Monday’s quakes has now reached to more than 22,300.
