Germany and Austria suspended rescue operations in Turkey on Saturday, citing security concerns in the aftermath of this week’s devastating earthquakes that killed over 26,000 people.
(Bloomberg) — Germany and Austria suspended rescue operations in Turkey on Saturday, citing security concerns in the aftermath of this week’s devastating earthquakes that killed over 26,000 people.
Turkey issued its first presidential decree under a state of emergency announced earlier this week, postponing legal procedures related to bankruptcy cases in quake-hit zones.
Key Developments
- Why Turkey’s Next Election Is a Real Test for Erdogan: QuickTake
- Turkish Anger Turns to Erdogan Over Quake Delays, Weak Buildings
- Quake Aid Is Political Pawn as Powers Clash Over Syria Access
- Turkish Opposition Targets Market Regulators After Stock Turmoil
- Turkey Wants Russian Green Light for Faster Aid Flow Into Syria
- Turkey’s Main Opposition Files Complaint Over Twitter Blackout
(All times Istanbul, GMT +3)
Armenian Aid Trucks Arrive After Talks to Restore Ties (4:05 p.m.)
Armenian trucks crossed into Turkey for the first time in decades to deliver humanitarian aid to survivors, Armenian diplomat Tigran Balayan wrote on Twitter
Turkey closed its border with Armenia in 1993 over its conflict with Ankara’s ally Azerbaijan, but the two held normalization talks last year.
Read more: Turkish, Armenian Leaders Eye Ties in First Talks Since 2009 (2)
Germany, Austria Suspend Rescue Ops on Security Concerns (3:56 p.m.)
German and Austrian rescue teams suspended work in Turkey’s Hatay province due to security concerns.
“There is increasing aggression between groups in Turkey. Shots are said to have been fired,” military spokesman Pierre Kugelweis told APA. Germany’s Federal Agency for Technical Relief said the security situation had worsened in recent hours, DPA reported.
“The expected success of saving a life bears no reasonable relation to the safety risk,” Defense Ministry Spokesperson Michael Bauer said on Twitter.
UN Official Expects Death Count to Double (3:23 p.m.)
UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths predicts the death count will “double or more,” he said in an interview with Sky.
He described the scene as “a tangle of terrible rubble, which conceals those who we fear to find and makes getting to those dangerous for these heroic people who are doing this 24/7.”
Turkish Universities to Go Online Until Summer (2:50 p.m.)
Turkish universities will move classes online until summer to free up accommodation for survivors, according to President Erdogan.
All university campus dormitories will be used for sheltering people affected by the earthquakes, Erdogan said.
Death Toll Tops 26,000 (2:40 p.m.)
The number of dead in Turkey and Syria rose to 26,232 according to Turkish officials and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which uses a network of activists on the ground. Tens of thousands of people are still missing.
The death toll in Turkey exceeded that of the devastating 1999 earthquakes near Istanbul, when about 18,000 people died according to official figures.
The number of injured in Turkey is over 80,000, the country’s disaster management authority said.
Turkey Postpones Some Bankruptcy Procedures (2:04 p.m.)
Turkey postponed some judicial procedures related to debt execution and bankruptcy across 10 provinces, in the first presidential decree published under a three-month state of emergency in the earthquake zone.
The procedures were postponed to April 6, from February 6, the date when twin quakes jolted 10 provinces in Turkey.
25,000 Turkish Soldiers Taking Part in Relief Efforts (11.30 a.m.)
Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said 25,067 military personnel were taking part in relief efforts. The Incirlik air base in Adana province has been opened to civilian transportation, he said.
Main Opposition Leader Calls For Tent Donations (10:18 a.m)
Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the leader of the main opposition CHP, said there was a shortage of tents for those displaced by the quakes, speaking in quake-hit Malatya province on Saturday.
He called on businesses with stocks of tents to come forward, promising to buy and distribute them.
Rust Detected in Some Collapsed Buildings (8:54 a.m.)
Turkish experts found low-quality material and rusty steel in collapsed buildings in Sanliurfa province following a probe by the Chief Prosecutor’s Office, NTV news channel reported.
Critics say poor construction and inadequate inspections during construction were among the factors that contributed to the massive devastation.
Miracle Survivor (5:48 a.m.)
After 122 hours, a 70-year-old woman was evacuated alive from the wreckage of an apartment building toppled by the earthquake in the southeastern Turkish city of Kahramanmaras, the state-run Anadolu news agency said.
Soldiers on Patrol Around Banks (5:30 a.m.)
Turkish soldiers have started patrolling streets where banks and jewelry shops are located in Hatay, one of the worst hit provinces, Fox TV reported.
Turkey Denies Damage to Dams (1:57 a.m.)
Agriculture and Forestry Minister Vahit Kirisci denied allegations that the Yarseli dam in the quake-stricken Hatay province was damaged, adding that he would inspect the dams in the area on Saturday.
One Million Survivors in Shelters (1:09 a.m.)
More than 1 million quake survivors have been moved into temporary shelters, Turkey’s Vice President Fuat Oktay said. Nearly 200,000 people have been evacuated from the quake zone to the west of the country, he said.
–With assistance from Beril Akman, Tugce Ozsoy, Baris Balci and Ros Krasny.
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