As search and rescue efforts for survivors of the February 6 earthquake began to decrease in Turkeydemolition crews began clearing mounds of rubble left behind by the worst disaster in the country’s modern history.
Next, A look at the key events of Sunday:
INCREASES THE NUMBER OF DEATHS
The number of confirmed deaths due to the quake rose to 40,689, said the head of the country’s disaster management agency (AFAD), Yunus Sezer. That was 47 more than the figure given Saturday night and a much smaller increase than previous updates.
Sezer told reporters in Ankara that search and rescue work in nine of the 11 earthquake-affected provinces had ended. Operations continue in Kahramanmaras, the site of the epicenter and Hatay, one of the worst affected provinces. “We continue these efforts every day in the hope of reaching a living brother or sister,” she added.
Although rescue operations continue in the two provinces, there have been no signs of anyone being pulled out alive since three members of a family – a mother, a father and a 12-year-old boy – were pulled from a collapsed building in Hatai on Saturday. The child later died.
The new figure brings the combined death toll in Turkey and Syria to 44,377. The UN has said the full extent of the deaths in Syria will take time to determine.
MORE THAN 6,000 REPLICAS
Turkey’s disaster management agency reported that some 6,040 aftershocks struck the 11 provinces that make up the government-declared disaster zone in the days after the initial quake.
the first earthquake it had a magnitude of 7.8 and, nine hours later, there was another of 7.5.
Orhan Tatar, general manager of the AFAD, said that 40 aftershocks were of a magnitude of 5 to 6 and one of 6.6.
“It is extremely important to stay away from damaged buildings and not to enter them,” he told a televised news conference in Ankara.
It also warned of “secondary disasters” such as landslides and rockfalls.
MORE THAN 100,000 PROPERTIES VERY DAMAGED
Some 105,794 properties reviewed by the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization were destroyed or so damaged that they require demolition.
Of these, 20,662 collapsed, according to a statement from the ministry. The damaged or destroyed buildings contained more than 384,500 units, mostly residential apartments.
The figures do not include structures that fell or were damaged in Syria.