Erdogan: We will never allow our citizens to remain unsheltered

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has visited south eastern Türkiye to inspect the areas badly-affected by the magnitudes of 7.7 and 7.6 earthquakes that hit the country earlier this week.

Wednesday’s visit takes place the day after President Erdogan declared a three-month-long state of emergency in the 10 provinces hit by the quake.

The Turkish president has tasked all of the ministers in his cabinet and Vice President Fuat Oktay to handle the situation and to establish coordination in the area.

In the first leg of his visit, Erdogan visited a football stadium in Onikisubat district, Kahramanmaras where a tent city was set up for the victims before heading to the Pazarcik district, the epicentre of one of the two major earthquakes that struck on Monday.

"In a year, we are planning to rebuild these 10 provinces as we did in previous earthquake-hit provinces," Erdogan said.

The Turkish president said that the government has made negotiations with the hotels in Antalya, Alanya, and Mersin to house the victims.

"We are ready to place them in hotels in these cities," he said, adding that the government will also provide an initial 10,000 Turkish liras ($531) to families affected by the quake.

"Our citizens should not worry. We will never allow for them to remain unsheltered," Erdogan stressed.

"We have mobilised all our resources. The state is working with municipalities, especially AFAD (Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency), with all its means," Erdogan said.

He inspected relief efforts in Kahramanmaras province, where two powerful quakes that shook the region were centered, affecting nine other provinces and more than 13 million people. 

He will later travel to another south eastern province of Hatay to carry out inspections there.

Powerful earthquakes and aftershocks have killed 8,574 people and wounded 49,133 while more than 8,000 were rescued, according to official figures released on Wednesday afternoon. 

READ MORE: Timeline: Major earthquakes that hit Türkiye in recent decades

Rushing for help

Turkish disaster management agency, AFAD, said over 96,670 personnel are stationed in the affected areas. 

Turkish military personnel and special operation forces are also carrying out search and rescue missions.

Non-governmental organisations, volunteers including individuals are also being deployed in the region to help with relief operations.

Dozens of nations have also sent search and rescue teams to south eastern Türkiye. 

Survivors are fighting with the cold weather in the area as relief organisations have set up about 50, 818 tents to help the victims. 

Turk Kizilay, Turkish Red Crescent, and other civilian organisations have contributed blankets, warm food and other basic needs for the survivors of the quake. 

READ MORE: Rescue teams from around the world rush to earthquake-hit Türkiye