(AFP) - Two and a half weeks after the earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria, Ankara announced the start of building homes for one and a half million people who were displaced as a result of this natural disaster that claimed the lives of nearly fifty thousand people in the two countries.

For his part, President Erdogan, who will run in tough presidential elections next May, has pledged to build new homes within a year. However, experts and engineers in the field of architecture called on the Turkish authorities to give priority to the necessary safety standards in the process of building these new homes instead of rushing into the completion process.

AnnouncementHas the battle of house construction begun in Turkey, which witnessed a strong earthquake more than two weeks ago that claimed the lives of tens of thousands of residents in various regions and in neighboring Syria? After the devastating earthquake that occurred this month, the death toll in Turkey and Syria exceeded 50,000,” according to a final toll.

The same official added, "The authorities (meaning the Turkish authorities) have put out tenders and contracts to complete a few projects. The process is going very quickly," noting, "There will be no complacency in safety standards."

Architectural experts call for safety standards to be respected in the reconstruction of homes in Turkey

For his part, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who will run in tough presidential elections next May, has pledged to build new homes within a year. But experts said authorities should introduce safety standards at speed.

Some buildings that were supposed to withstand earthquakes collapsed in the latest quake. Erdogan's government has come under fire for its response to the earthquake's devastation, and for what many Turks see as years of failure to implement building quality controls.

For its part, the United Nations Development Program confirmed that the destruction caused the displacement of about 1.5 million people, and that there is a need to build 500,000 new homes. He also demanded the receipt of 113.5 million dollars out of a total of one billion dollars requested by the United Nations, the international community, last week, with the aim of financing the rubble removal operations.

Meanwhile, Turkey issued new regulations allowing charitable companies and organizations to build housing and workplaces that they donate to the Ministry of Environment and Urban Development for those in need.

50,000 dead in Turkey and Syria, the new toll of the victims of the February 6 earthquake

According to data published by the Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), the earthquake that occurred on February 6 led to the collapse or significant damage to more than 160,000 buildings, including 520,000 apartments, and the lives of tens of thousands in Turkey and neighboring Syria.

With the adoption of the latest death toll announced in Syria, which reached 5,914, the total number of deaths in the two countries rose to more than 50,000. Turkey alone recorded 44,218 deaths, according to the Turkish Disaster Agency on Friday.

The Turkish authorities said that tents were sent to many who became homeless, but those affected spoke of problems in obtaining them. "We live in a tent," said Mike, 67, one of those affected by the earthquake and a father of eight. "There is water above (the tent) and the ground is damp. We ask for more tents and they don't give them to us."

Extracting between 116 million and 210 million tons of rubble

This was stated by Soumaya Karabouchik, a volunteer who provides humanitarian aid near a school located in the town of Hesse, who stressed that "the lack of tents is still the biggest problem" for the survivors of the earthquake.

In a related context, the United Nations announced that 8.8 million people will be affected in Syria as a result of the earthquake that also struck this country, noting that access to the affected areas was difficult at first, but rescue work continued, and the number of victims is still rising with time. While there are no more reports of rescue survivors during the past few days.

As for the rubble left by the earthquake, estimates from the United Nations Development Program range between 116 million tons and 210 million tons of rubble. That is, much more compared to the 13 million tons of rubble left over from the earthquake that struck northwest Turkey in 1999.

20 million people were affected by the consequences of the earthquake, according to the Turkish government

On February 6, two earthquakes measuring 7.7 struck southeastern Turkey and northern Syria. Shortly after, another earthquake with a magnitude of 7.6 hit the area, followed by more than 9,000 aftershocks, according to Turkish sources.

While aftershocks continued to shake the area repeatedly, which caused panic among the local population, according to the Turkish government, which reported that 20 million people were affected by the consequences of this natural disaster.

While many survivors left the devastated southern region of Turkey, some set up tents, houses made of containers, and other government-sponsored shelters.