The cost of restoring and reconstructing buildings after deadly earthquakes of October 23, 2012 and November 9, 2012 in Van surpassed 3.6 billion Turkish liras.
Speaking to the Anadolu Agency (AA), the Chairman of Turkish Prime Ministry Disaster and Emergency Management Directorate (AFAD), Fuat Oktay said that 40,000 residences, 3,000 businesses and over 9,000 barns were badly damaged in Van during last year’s earthquakes in which 644 people were killed.
“In the first six hours following the earthquake, we sent more than 1,000 search and rescue teams, health teams and personnel from the Turkish Red Crescent Aid Society with necessary vehicles and equipments to the region,” Oktay noted.
“On the 39th day following the earthquake, ground-breaking ceremony for 15,323 residences took place with the contributions of the Turkish government, AFAD, Housing Administration of Turkey (TOKI) and the Governorship of Van,” Oktay stressed.
“Once all the investments in the region have been completed, we would have spent 5.5 billion TL (approx. 3.1 bln USD) in the post-earthquake period in Van,” Oktay also said.
(Anatolia News Agency)
