On Sunday (February 12), the death toll from the earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria exceeded 33,000, with the United Nations warning that the final number could double. Turkey recorded 29,605 deaths, while Syria recorded 3574 deaths.
130 people suspected of involvement in the construction of buildings that collapsed and killed residents have been detained or issued arrest warrants by Turkish officials. Despite Turkey’s existing construction codes meeting earthquake-engineering standards, the codes are not enforced, resulting in the collapse of buildings and subsequent deaths.
The Turkish government has vowed to punish those responsible for faulty construction, and prosecutors are gathering evidence of construction materials.
