Death Toll Due To Earthquake Reaches 45 Thousand People, President Erdogan Indicates Turkey's Election As Scheduled

President Erdogan visited earthquake victims. (Source: Presidency of The Republic of Turkiye)

JAKARTA - President Recep Tayyip Erdogan indicated on Wednesday that Turkey would continue to hold elections on May 14 as previously planned, even though the country was only recently rocked by a devastating earthquake that killed more than 45,000 people in Turkey.

"This nation will do what is necessary on May 14, InshaAllah," President Erdogan said in a speech to lawmakers from the ruling AK Party.

There are conflicting signals over the possibility of presidential and parliamentary elections since last month's earthquake, with some suggesting it could be postponed until the end of the year or could be held on June 18.

It is known that President Erdogan has faced a wave of criticism regarding the government's response to the earthquake. However, he defended by saying Turkey had been trapped in an "earthquake storm".

"We will build a better building in their collapsed place. We will win hearts and we will unroll new future rolls in front of our people," President Erdogan said in his speech.

Meanwhile, doubts have been expressed over the electoral authority's ability to make logistical arrangements for those affected in the earthquake zone, home to about 14 million people, to vote. Election officials visited this region this week to prepare a report on its preparedness.

Separately, the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) on Wednesday said the death toll in Turkey had risen to 45,089, bringing the total death toll including in Syria to around 51,000. The quake also injured 108,000 people in Turkey.

President Erdogan has promised to rebuild the house within one year. He said on Wednesday more than 200,000 buildings had been damaged or badly damaged by the earthquake.