Türkiye's Government Vows to Protect Quake-Hit Region's Demographics

Strait Talk

The February 6 earthquakes have brought unimaginable destruction across 10 provinces in Turkiye's south. Turkiye's disaster management agency says more than 350,000 apartments have been destroyed, leaving countless people homeless. Over two million people have left the quake-affected areas, with many relocating to other parts of the country. The areas where the quakes struck, are some of Turkiye's most ethnically and culturally diverse regions. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has vowed to protect the historical identity and demographic structure of the country's southeast. Often referred to as the crossroads of civilizations, the city of Gaziantep and its surroundings have been a melting pot of cultures and are home to historical sites dating back thousands of years. President Erdogan added that the construction of 270,000 homes would begin in March, with a goal to complete them within one year. The February 6 earthquakes killed more than 48,000 people in Turkiye and Syria. Several powerful quakes have followed, including a 5.0 tremor that hit Hatay on Thursday. Guests: Selin Unal Spokesperson at UNHCR Türkiye David Coleman Emeritus Professor of Demography at Oxford University