Erdogan begs 'forgiveness' over Turkey's earthquake response as 100 injured in new 5.6 tremor
A 5.6 magnitude earthquake shook southern Turkey on Monday, killing one and injuring 100 just three weeks after a catastrophic tremor devastated the region.
The latest quake, which struck the town of Yesilyurt in Malatya province, caused already badly damaged buildings to collapse.
A father and daughter, who had returned to their home to collect their belongings, were rescued from beneath the ruins of the four-story building after it was toppled by the fresh quake.
Malatya was among 11 Turkish provinces hit by the 7.8 earthquake magnitude that devastated parts of southern Turkey and northern Syria on February 6.
More than 50,000 people were killed across Turkey and Syria by the massive quake, which also left millions homeless in frigid conditions.
The country's disaster management agency, AFAD, urged people not to enter damaged buildings, saying strong aftershocks continue to pose a risk.
More than 10,000 aftershocks have hit the region since the February 6 quake. Last week, the region was rocked by a further 6.4 magnitude earthquake, killing eight people.
There has been widespread anger at the official response that many say has seemed sluggish.
As well as anger at the structures that failed building standards, there is anger at pledges to rebuild ruined towns.
At a news conference in Adiyaman on Monday, Turkey's president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan asked for understanding from residents as he acknowledged the shortcomings of his government's response to the disaster.
He said 309,000 homes were to be built after the preliminary work was completed while another 234,000 were earmarked for construction from March.
"In the first days, we were not able to conduct work as efficiently as we wanted to in Adiyaman, for reasons such as the destructive impact of the tremors, adverse weather and challenges due to the damaged infrastructure," he said.
The World Bank estimates the massive earthquake caused $34.2 billion in “direct damages” - an equivalent of 4% of the country's GDP in 2021.
Turkey has arrested 184 people suspected of complicity in the collapse of buildings, a minister said on Saturday.
Meanwhile, fans of Turkish team Besiktas threw stuffed toys and winter clothing on to the pitch during a match on Sunday to support children affected by the earthquake.
Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know