Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan acknowledges ‘shortcomings’ in rescue efforts on visit to hard-hit Hatay province
Mr Erdogan, who faces a tough battle for re-election in May, acknowledged “shortcomings” in the response to the 7.8-magnitude quake on Monday but said the winter weather had been a factor.
Search teams from more than two dozen countries have joined tens of thousands of local emergency personnel and aid pledges have poured in from around the world. “Today isn’t a pleasant day because as of today there is no hope left in Malatya,” he said. “No one is coming out alive from the rubble.”There was a shortage of rescuers in the areaand the cold had hampered rescue efforts by volunteers and government teams, he said.
That brought the overall total to 11,000 since Monday’s earthquake and multiple strong aftershocks. Tens of thousands more are injured. They said low temperatures are working against them, though two firefighters told Polish TVN24 the fact people were caught in bed under warm covers by the pre-dawn earthquake could help. The rescuers were trying to reach a woman who they knew was in her bed.
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