Reports of looting of damaged stores in Turkey are starting to circulate after Monday’s massive earthquake devastated large areas of the country’s southeast.
Video footage shows angry shopkeepers chasing out a man suspected of stealing, in the southern city of Antakya. And the looters are not only after essentials, they are also taking pricey consumer items.
“There’s a phone shop near mine where all the phones have been stolen”, says local shopkeeper Nizamettin Bilmez.
“Supermarkets are ok. If people come to take nappies, food and drinks, it’s normal because no help has arrived for one to two days. People can come without problems. But some people are strange, they come to take a cooker or a coffee machine.”
Addressing reports of looting in the region, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed that culprits would be dealt with “firmly”, saying a state of emergency declared in ten affected provinces would allow authorities to act to prevent further incidents.
The Turkish Defence Ministry has released images of soldiers patrolling market areas and streets to reassure citizens.
However, the government is coming under mounting criticism for what has been perceived as a slow disaster response and lax implementation of earthquake regulations for buildings.
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