Erdogan: There Are Around 150 Students Under Debris Of School

ANKARA - Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said there were around 150 students under wreckage of boarding school dormitory in southeastern province of Bingol where an earthquake measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale took place.
Speaking to reporters before leaving for Diyarbakir, Erdogan informed reporters about Bingol quake.
Recalling that quake took place about 3.30 a.m., Erdogan said that according to statement of Bingol State Hospital chief of staff, 20 people died so far and there were many injured people due to earthquake.
Erdogan said, ''I am concerned about especially the number of students who are under debris of boarding school. I hope that efforts to recover people from wreckage will yield good results. There are about 150 students there.''
Stating that no negative news have come from villages near quake zone so far, Erdogan said that state institutions and Red Crescent went to the quake zone to exert efforts.
Erdogan said that civilian defense teams of Internal Affairs Ministry went from Erzurum, Mus, Elazig and Diyarbakir provinces to the region and stated, ''a total of 45 students were rescued by efforts of gendarmerie and security teams and rescue efforts are continuing.''
Erdogan said that tents and aid materials were being sent to the region and noted that Red Crescent sent 500 tents to the region so far.
''A total of 3,000 blankets and five mobile kitchens reached the region. Four ambulances and foodstuff are on the way to Bingol. 5,000 blankets from Diyarbakir are being transported to Bingol. Medical equipment, foodstuff and mobile polyclinic are also on the way. 167 containers from Ankara are being carried to the province. The number of tents of Red Crescent will reach 5,000 in the quake zone. Health Ministry also launched initiatives to extend help for the region. We planned to extend urgent help for the people suffering from the quake by setting up a mobile hospital in the quake zone. Thus, we will go to the quake zone with Health Ministry,'' Erdogan stated.
Stating that first aid rescue teams and security forces started exerting efforts in the zone, he said that General Staff special forces search and rescue teams left for the region.
Erdogan said that search and rescue team belonging to gendarme was on the way to Bingol and noted that six teams with sniffer dogs were also on the way.
He said that he and accompanying ministers would examine the quake zone and stated that they would determine shortcomings in the zone.
''If there are injured people who must be sent out of the province, we will do what is necessary to transport those people. There are ambulances and helicopters in the region. We can increase the number of those,'' Erdogan said.
Upon a question, Erdogan said that it was not possible to say a certain number of dead and injured people in the quake zone.
(EÖ-AÖ) 01.05.2003