The death toll in the deadly earthquakes that struck Turkey and Syria tops 41,000, with millions left without a shelter in both nations. Meanwhile Turkish authorities are focusing on shoddy building practices which are being blamed for exacerbating the destruction.
By Nathan Morley
VATICAN CITY — Across northern Syria and southern Turkey, millions are homeless, and temperatures continue to drop below freezing after sundown.
The Turkish Medical Association has already warned about infectious diseases saying damage to infrastructure such as water, electricity and sewerage increases the risk of water- and food-borne diseases.
The UN said the earthquake in Syria displaced 5.3 million people. Meanwhile, in Turkey heated discussions about the quality of many structures continue to dominate headlines.
At least 6,200 buildings were destroyed in Turkey – including many high-rise structures which fell like a deck of cards. Since the weekend, questions have been raised about if the tragedy could have been avoided and whether President Erdogan’s government could have done more to save lives.
According to some reports, over half of the buildings in Turkey have been constructed in violation of the current building code. Observers had previously warned that many new buildings were unsafe due to corruption.
Prosecutors have started to collect samples of buildings for evidence on materials used in construction.
