Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the total cost of damages resulting from the earthquake that struck the south of the country on February 6 is estimated at $104 billion.

In a video message he sent today, Thursday, to the "Berlin Earthquake Conference" held by the Federation of Turkish Chambers and Stock Exchanges with the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the capital, Berlin, Erdogan confirmed that the debris removal operations have been completed and that work is underway to build permanent housing in areas free of earthquake risks.

The Turkish President added: Starting next October, new homes will be handed over to citizens gradually, as 319 thousand homes will be handed over during the current year, indicating that his government's goal is to establish 650 thousand homes in cities that are safer and more flexible than they were in the past.

The Turkish President appreciated the position of German Chancellor Olaf Schultz, who expressed his support for the conference through his participation in a video message, and thanked all European countries participating in the conference.

Erdogan stressed that they will never forget the help of friendly and brotherly countries from all over the world that rushed to the earthquake zone, and that they will remember with gratitude everyone who stood by Turkey on this difficult day.

On the sixth of last February, the regions of southern Turkey and northern Syria were subjected to two devastating earthquakes measuring 7.7 and 7.6 degrees, followed by thousands of violent aftershocks, which left tens of thousands dead and injured and massive destruction in 11 Turkish provinces in the south of the country.

Source: National Iraqi News Agency