According to Turkish state-run news agency, at least 98 people have been arrested by Turkish security forces over the alleged looting of damaged buildings, robbery or defrauding victims of last week’s devastating earthquake.
Security sources, who wish to remain anonymous “due to media restrictions,” disclosed that investigations were carried out into at least 42 suspects in Turkey’s southern Hatay province over claims of looting damaged buildings.
At least 40 suspects were arrested and security teams seized six guns, three rifles, jewelry, bank cards, $11,000 and 70,000 Turkish lira (around $3,700) in cash, state news reported citing the sources.
Two other people were also arrested after posing as aid workers and allegedly trying to loot six truckloads of food for quake victims in Hatay province.
At least six people were also arrested in Istanbul over allegedly defrauding a victim of the earthquake in southern Gaziantep.
Elsewhere in the country, dozens of other suspects were arrested for alleged looting and robbery in quake-hit areas.
The suspects were arrested across at least eight provinces including Kahramanmaras, Hatay, Adiyaman, Malatya, Osmaniye, Adana, Gaziantep, and Sanliurfa.
The two powerful earthquakes which were hours apart, caused thousands of buildings to collapse and has killed more than 28,000 people as well as left millions homeless.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan acknowledged earlier in the week that the initial response was hampered by the extensive damage to roads and other infrastructure that made it difficult to reach some points.
He also said the worst-affected area was 500 kilometers (310 miles) in diameter and was home to 13.5 million people in Turkey.
During a tour of quake-damaged cities on Saturday, February 11, 2023, Erdogan said a disaster of this scope was rare and again referred to it as the “disaster of the century.”
The disaster has aggravated suffering in a region beset by Syria’s 12-year civil war, which has displaced millions of people within the country and left them dependent on aid. The fighting sent millions more to seek refuge in Turkey.
Search and rescue teams are still on the grounds.
Man Donates To Earthquake Victims
Meanwhile, an anonymous man in the United States has donated $30 million to earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif tweeted.
“Deeply moved by the example of an anonymous Pakistani who walked into the Turkish embassy in the US and donated $30 million for earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria. These are such glorious acts of philanthropy that enable humanity to triumph over the seemingly insurmountable odds.”
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif
Anadolu Agency, one of Turkey’s state-run media channels, confirmed the news.
Recovery in Turkey after the devastating earthquakes has now entered the “humanitarian phase,” according to Jamie LeSueur, the head of emergency operations at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
LeSueur divulged that as his team moves on from search-and-rescue operations, the greatest needs for those affected in Turkey continue to be food, health and water.
“We’ve now entered into the humanitarian phase. That is going to last for a couple of months, where we’ll still try to meet people’s basic needs.”
Jamie LeSueur
Most of the population is too afraid to go inside, even if their homes have not been completely destroyed.
“We want to get them out of the humanitarian phase as quickly as possible, into something sustainable and transitional that’s going to keep them safe for a long time.”
Jamie LeSueur
LeSueur added that his team is preparing for any eventuality, including the spread of diseases, and they are coordinating with the Turkish Red Crescent about sanitation needs.
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