Vice President Fuat Oktay said late Saturday that at least 24,617 people were killed by two strong earthquakes that jolted southern Türkiye last Monday. This number rose to 29,605, according to the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) later on Sunday.
The AFAD also said 147,934 others have been evacuated from the region to the other provinces.
Oktay, also announced that Earthquake Crimes Investigation Departments have been established by the prosecutor’s offices under the supervision of the Justice Ministry in the 10 provinces affected by the quakes in the southeast.
He noted the responsibilities of 131 suspects in buildings that collapsed in the quakes were determined – one was arrested and arrest warrants have been issued for 113 others.
The 7.7 and 7.6 magnitude quakes, centered in Kahramanmaraş province, were felt last Monday by 13 million people across 10 provinces, including Adana, Adıyaman, Diyarbakır, Gaziantep, Hatay, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye and Şanlıurfa.
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