Residents of the town of Golbasi in Adiyaman province, one of the areas hardest hit by the February 6 earthquake disaster.
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27. feb. 2023 15:05 – Updated 27 Feb. 2023 15:05
Recep Tayyip Erdogan has received massive criticism for shortcomings in the rescue work after the earthquake disaster. Now the Turkish president is asking for forgiveness.
– We were not able to work as we wanted in Adiyaman in the first days due to the enormous destruction, as well as the bad weather. I apologize for this, says Erdogan.
On Monday, he visited one of the areas that was hardest hit by the quakes.
– I didn’t see anyone until 2pm on the second day after the earthquakes. No authorities, no state, no police, no soldiers. Shame on you! You left us in the lurch, one of the residents told the AFP news agency earlier this month.
The death toll has risen steadily since the disaster on 6 February, passing 50,000 last week, of which 44,300 are in Turkey.
The authorities’ handling of the disaster may become an important factor in the upcoming presidential election in May. 69-year-old Erdogan was Turkey’s prime minister from 2003 to 2014, after which he took over as the country’s president. Now he is seeking a new presidential term. The disaster came as Erdogan gained momentum in the election campaign after falling in the polls amid the country’s economic crisis, which reached new heights last year.
