Police detain contractor of Diyarbakır residential complex where 89 died in quakes

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The contractor of a luxury residential complex in Diyarbakır, southeastern Turkey, was detained today (April 12) in the capital of Ankara.

Charged with "killing and injuring multiple people with eventual intent," Sedat Eser was taken to the police directorate for proceedings. An "earthquake investigation office" within the Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor's Office is conducting the investigation.

After the massive double earthquake on February 6, one of the four blocks of the Diyar Galeria residential complex was destroyed while the others were severely damaged.

On February 6, two earthquakes with a magnitude of 7.7 and 7.6 struck the southern city of Maraş. The first quake in the Pazarcık district at 4.17 a.m. was followed by the second one in Elbistan about nine hours later.

The quakes affected 11 cities in Türkiye's south and southeast, as well as Syria's northern parts, where over 5,000 people have died.

Türkiye's death toll from the quakes stands at over 50 thousand and is expected to increase further, as over 227,000 buildings were destroyed or severely damaged, according to government figures.

Nearly two million people have been displaced due to the earthquakes. (TY/VK)