Admission from Murat Kurum on live broadcast: He announced that 130 thousand people died in the February 6 earthquake

Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) President Yunus Sezer had announced that the number of people who lost their lives in the Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquakes was 50,500, and the number of injured was 107,204.

Murat Kurum, who was the Minister of Environment and Urbanization during the February 6 earthquakes, where it was stated that 50,500 people officially lost their lives, was not included in the 28th government cabinet. Kurum, who was nominated as the AKP's Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality mayoral candidate for the March 31 local elections, made a serious gaffe during a live broadcast he attended.

"130 THOUSAND OF OUR CITIZENS LOST THEIR LIVES"

AKP's IMM candidate Murat Kurum made confusing statements regarding the February 6 earthquake on live television.

Evaluating the February 6 disaster, Kurum shared data suggesting that 80,000 deaths were hidden, contrary to the officially announced figure, and said that 130,000 of our citizens died in the February 6 earthquakes.

"I WAS EXPRESSING EARTHQUAKE DATA IN THE HISTORY OF THE REPUBLIC OF TURKEY"

Candaş Tolga Işık was asked again about Kurum's controversial statement on social media after the live broadcast. Kurum stated that this number was not related to the February 6 earthquake, but that he meant those who died in earthquakes throughout the history of the Republic of Turkey.

Candaş Tolga Işık shared the following: "By the way, it was asked a lot; after the broadcast, I asked Murat Kurum again about the sentence '130 thousand people died in the earthquakes.' He said that he was expressing this number not as related to the February 6 earthquake, but as the approximate total number of people who died in earthquakes in the history of the Republic of Turkey."

Following the controversy, a statement also came from Murat Kurum.

STATEMENT FROM MURAT KURUM

Kurum stated, "In the February 6 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes, 50 thousand of our lives were lost in 11 of our provinces. In the earthquakes throughout the history of the Republic, a total of 130 thousand people lost their lives."

Kurum's post is as follows:

"In the February 6 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes, 50 thousand of our lives were lost in 11 of our provinces. In the earthquakes throughout the history of the Republic, a total of 130 thousand people lost their lives. Although we have stated this repeatedly in the same broadcast and in broadcasts months ago, it is truly sad that this has become a subject of political controversy today.

They will see on March 31 when they lose that a true victory cannot be won with a political understanding that clings to lies."

6 Şubat Kahramanmaraş depremlerinde 11 ilimizde 50 bin canımız gitti. Cumhuriyet tarihindeki depremlerdeyse toplam 130 bin kişi hayatını kaybetti. Aynı yayında ve aylar önceki yayınlarda da defalarca söylememize rağmen, bunun bugün bir siyasi polemik konusu haline getirilmesi… pic.twitter.com/elTLe9KczT

— Murat KURUM (@murat_kurum) January 31, 2024

News Source: 12punto