Erdogan: 84 People Died So Far

BINGOL - Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday that 84 people died so far in the strong earthquake which hit southeastern Bingol province early on Thursday morning.
Erdogan said rescue efforts continued in the region, stating that ''state mobilized all its facilities.''
Erdogan said there were children under the debris of the Celtiksuyu Boarding School dormitory which totally collapsed after the quake, adding that, ''majority of our children are still under the debris. Some of them rescued, but still there are people whom we lost.''
Erdogan said interior ministry, civilian defense teams and gendarme forces continue rescue efforts. He said, ''the state is interested in the next stage to solve the problems. There are steps which we will take. It is our sincere wish to rescue the children stranded under the debris.''
When asked, ''state buildings are damaged here mostly as it happened in Pulumur quake, how do you evaluate this?'' Erdogan said, ''this can not be described as negligence. It is not to abide by conditions of tender. Their control was not made. We wish such mistakes would not be made from now on. We should take lesson from such incidents.''
Erdogan said necessary investigations would be carried out in connection with the issue.
(AY-AÖ) 01.05.2003