Erdoğan: Türkiye's 2023 earthquake causes $104 billion in damages

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Türkiye announced that the devastating earthquakes in Türkiye on February 6, 2023, caused damages amounting to $104 billion. 

Speaking in Kahramanmaraş, the epicentre of the quake, Erdoğan emphasized the scale of destruction, describing it as one of the worst disasters in human history, Caliber.Az reports.

The earthquake, with a magnitude of 7.8, severely affected 11 provinces, displacing nearly 2 million people and destroying 671,826 homes.

As of March 2023, authorities identified 298,000 buildings as uninhabitable, comprising 876,000 independent units. Türkiye's government has committed to constructing 319,000 housing units within a year and eventually 650,000 units to address the housing crisis. The international community, including EU member states, pledged $7 billion (€7 billion) in aid to support rebuilding efforts.

The earthquake resulted in over 50,000 fatalities and left vast regions in humanitarian and economic distress. Recovery remains a monumental challenge as Türkiye grapples with reconstruction and addressing the needs of millions displaced by the disaster.

By Khagan Isayev