President Sezer Gets Briefing About Quake In Bingol

BINGOL - President Ahmet Necdet Sezer examined on Tuesday the Natural Disaster Assistance Coordination Centre set up in 49th Brigade Command in eastern Bingol province and got briefing from them.
Commander of the Eighth Army Corps General Ethem Erdagi briefed Sezer about the activities of the Turkish Armed Forces during Bingol earthquake.
General Erdagi said that four generals and 4,640 military personnel were charged during the rescue and search activities, adding that 128 persons were rescued alive from wreckage after the quake.
SEZER: TURKEY IS A COUNTRY IN QUAKE ZONE. HOWEVER, IT IS IN OUR HANDS TO DECREASE DAMAGE TO MINIMUM
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said that those who had responsibilities in construction of collapsed buildings should be punished with heaviest penalties.
Sezer held a meeting with Bingol Governor Huseyin Avni Cos. He replied to questions of reporters after meeting.
Sezer said, ''we are in deep sadness due to earthquake disaster in which more than 170 of our citizens died and 500 of them were injured. We share the pains of people in Bingol. We offer our condolences to all of you.''
Noting that Turkey was a quake zone and it was impossible to escape from natural disasters, Sezer said that decreasing the harms of natural disasters to minimum was under people's control.
Sezer also visited Bingol State Hospital and tent site where quake survivors stayed.
Visiting clinics in tents and containers in the garden of Bingol State Hospital, Sezer was informed about health services by hospital officials. He wished rapid recovery for the patients.
Sezer later visited the tent city where 506 quake victims were staying and comprising of 100 tents. He was briefed about tent city by military officials.
Military officials said that a total of 131 containers were set up in lower part of the tent city and citizens, whose houses were damaged, would be settled in those containers later.
Sezer, Chief of General Staff Hilmi Ozkok and Land Forces Commander Aytac Yalman later proceeded to Celtiksuyu boarding school.
(GC-AÖ) 06.05.2003