Earthquake damage in Turkey is estimated to exceed $100 billion, according to the U.N. Development Programme (UNDP). Louisa Vinton, a UNDP official, announced the damage figure ahead of a donor conference in Brussels, Belgium, on March 16th. The conference is aimed at mobilizing funds for earthquake victims.
52,000 dead in Turkey and Syria
Over 52,000 people were killed in the earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria on February 6th. Many of the victims were crushed or buried while they were sleeping.
World Bank estimate of Turkey's damage
The World Bank had previously estimated the damage in Turkey to be around $34.2 billion. However, the UNDP's latest estimate puts the damage figure much higher, at over $100 billion.
Scenes in Turkey are Described as "Apocalyptic."
Louisa Vinton described the scenes in Turkey's worst-hit province, Hatay, as "apocalyptic." She stated that hundreds of thousands of homes had been destroyed, and the needs were vast, but resources were scarce.
