Death Toll Is 43

ANKARA, Feb 5 (A.A) - Public Works and Housing Ministry Disaster Works General Directorate said on Tuesday that the death toll in the earthquake in Afyon was 43.
It said that 15 of those people were killed in Sultandagi, 24 of them died in Cay, 1 person was killed in Bolvadin, 2 others lost their lives in Cobanlar and 1 person died in Sincanli, adding that 318 people were injured in the quake.
It said that 3,644 tents, 13,120 blankets and 20 containers had been sent to Aegean Afyon province, which was jolted by a strong earthquake on Sunday.
A statement of the Disaster Works General Directorate stressed that 20 container W.C, 3,000 stoves with LPG, 8 portable kitchens, and one mobile clinic were also dispatched to the quake zone.
The statement noted that 35 technical personnel and three geophysicians were working at the region to measure the aftershocks.
A total of 59 technicians from Antalya, Konya, Isparta and Denizli Public Works and Housing directorates, three gophysics engineers, five drivers, two carpenters and two electricians were charged in the disaster zone, the statement pointed out.
It said that 500 billion Turkish liras (TL) of emergency aid appropriation had been sent to Afyon Governorship the same day.
A total of 340 dwellings, 246 workplaces, 36 public institution buildings suffered severe and moderate damages, the statement added.
Below is the preliminary damage assesments:

   


    .               DWELLING   WORKPLACE  PUBLIC INSTITUTION 


    .               --------   ---------  ------------------- 


    SULTANDAGI        40          3             8 


    COBANLAR          75          5             2 


    CAY               85        200             3 


    SANDIKLI           6          0             3 


    BOLVADIN          65         22            10 


    AFYON CENTER      38         15             8 


    SUHUT             31          1             2 


    ---------------  -----    --------  ------------------- 


    TOTAL             340       246            36 

YILMAZ: ''FINANCE MINISTRY DECLARES FORCE MAJEURE IN FOUR TOWNSHIPS IN QUAKE ZONE''
State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz said on Tuesday that Finance Ministry declared force majeure in four townships of the quake region, and noted that debts of taxpayers in the region would be postponed.
Yilmaz arrived in Sultandagi township of Afyon province in the afternoon.
Yilmaz, who met the officials in Crisis Management Center, said Finance Minister Sumer Oral called him on the phone, and told him that they declared force majeure in four townships in the quake zone.
State Minister Yilmaz visited the quake striken region and listened to the problems of the citizens.
Pointing out that efforts were underway to meet the urgent needs of quake survivors, Yilmaz said, ''don't worry, our state will overcome the difficulties.''
AKCAN: ''RESCUE WORKS WERE COMPLETED IN TEN HOURS''
Housing and Settlement Minister Abdulkadir Akcan said on Tuesday that the rescue works lasted for ten hours after the earthquake in Afyon's Sultandagi township and there were no bodies left under the rubble.
Parliament General Council started its activities with a moment of silence to respect those who lost their lives during the recent earthquake in Afyon.
Akcan said that a total of 43 people died and 318 of them were injured in the earthquake which also destroyed many houses, offices and animal shelters.
Akcan underlined that Earthquake Insurance was very important among the measures that could be taken against a possible earthquake. He said only four percent of the buildings in Afyon were insured.
Akcan said that all state organizations went to the region right after the earthquake and there were no bodies under the rubble after ten hours following the quake.
Akcan also indicated that stock breeding was a major income source for the people of the area and more than 6,000 animals were killed in the earthquake.
Akcan said that so far 1.1 trillion TL was sent as an aid to the earthquake hit area.
CHINESE AMBASSADOR IN ANKARA GIVES 20,000 U.S.DOLLARS TO RED CRESCENT CHAIRMAN GONEN
Chinese Ambassador in Ankara Kuangyi Yao on Tuesday gave 20,000 U.S. dollars to Red Crescent Chairman Ertain Gonen for the quake survivors in Afyon.
Kuangyi Yao, who visited Red Crescent Headquarters, said the Chinese people felt sorrow over the Afyon quake, noting that they believed that wounds of the quake would be healed soon.
The Chinese Ambassador said Turkey and China were friendly countries, nothing that they shared the difficulties of Turkey.
Meanwhile, Red Crescent-Red Cross Federation Turkey Delegation Program Coordinator Ervin Blau, who also visited Gonen, said they visited the quake hit region on Monday, stressing that Red Crescent was working very effectively and in a coordinated way.
Blau said they got the information that 10,000 houses were damaged.