The contribution of 35,000 military personnel to search and rescue operations

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said in a statement that “35,000 army personnel contributed to the search and rescue operations,” noting that “17 planes carrying aid were sent continuously from Istanbul, Izmir and Ankara to Gaziantep and Adana.”

Turkish Vice President Fuad Oktay announced that the death toll from the earthquake had risen to 1,541, and announced “145 aftershocks and the collapse of 3,471 buildings in the earthquake.”

He pointed out, “Humanitarian aid will be delivered to the affected cities, and residences will be secured for those affected by the earthquake in all the affected areas.”

And Reuters had reported that “an earthquake measuring 7.7 on the Richter scale struck the eastern Mediterranean region.”