<p>President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday said Turkey would build almost 200,000 new homes in the country's southeast region, devastated by a massive earthquake two weeks ago.</p>.<p>A 7.8-magnitude tremor on February 6 and its aftershocks have killed more than 41,000 people in Turkey and left millions without homes.</p>.<p>Erdogan is keen to show his government will do everything for those impacted as he faces his biggest political test in elections planned for May.</p>.<p>Erdogan said around 118,000 buildings either collapsed, required urgent demolition or were severely damaged by the quake.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/turkey-ends-earthquake-rescue-efforts-except-in-two-provinces-1192886.html" target="_blank">Turkey ends earthquake rescue efforts except in two provinces</a></strong></p>.<p>He promised reconstruction work would begin in March to build 199,739 homes, including more than 130,000 in the worst-affected provinces of Hatay, Kahramanmaras and Malatya.</p>.<p>"None of these buildings will be more than three or four storeys high," he promised, after the quake caused several high-rise blocks of flats to collapse.</p>.<p>Experts say that while Turkey has the right regulations, construction companies often build homes of poor quality that are unable to withstand strong tremors.</p>.<p>"The buildings will be constructed... on sturdy ground and using the right methods," Erdogan vowed.</p>.<p>He said the new homes would be built away from fault lines, "closer to the mountains", which would "protect against problems that are caused by soft soil".</p>.<p>"We will start to move our citizens living in tents and container cities to their sturdy, safe and comfortable homes within a year," Erdogan added.</p>.<p>The state was providing shelter to around 1,6 million people in the region, according to Erdogan, speaking after a visit to affected areas in Hatay province.</p>.<p>Erdogan said rescuers had saved 114,834 people from the rubble. Search and rescue efforts have ended in nine provinces, but as of Sunday continued in Hatay and Kahramanmaras.</p>.<p>"We will build a new Antakya, Iskenderun, Arsuz," the president said, referring to towns and cities in Hatay levelled by the quake.</p>.<p>The city of Antakya, once home to a myriad of civilisations, lies in ruins after the quake, with centuries-old mosques and churches destroyed.</p>
<p>President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday said Turkey would build almost 200,000 new homes in the country's southeast region, devastated by a massive earthquake two weeks ago.</p>.<p>A 7.8-magnitude tremor on February 6 and its aftershocks have killed more than 41,000 people in Turkey and left millions without homes.</p>.<p>Erdogan is keen to show his government will do everything for those impacted as he faces his biggest political test in elections planned for May.</p>.<p>Erdogan said around 118,000 buildings either collapsed, required urgent demolition or were severely damaged by the quake.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/turkey-ends-earthquake-rescue-efforts-except-in-two-provinces-1192886.html" target="_blank">Turkey ends earthquake rescue efforts except in two provinces</a></strong></p>.<p>He promised reconstruction work would begin in March to build 199,739 homes, including more than 130,000 in the worst-affected provinces of Hatay, Kahramanmaras and Malatya.</p>.<p>"None of these buildings will be more than three or four storeys high," he promised, after the quake caused several high-rise blocks of flats to collapse.</p>.<p>Experts say that while Turkey has the right regulations, construction companies often build homes of poor quality that are unable to withstand strong tremors.</p>.<p>"The buildings will be constructed... on sturdy ground and using the right methods," Erdogan vowed.</p>.<p>He said the new homes would be built away from fault lines, "closer to the mountains", which would "protect against problems that are caused by soft soil".</p>.<p>"We will start to move our citizens living in tents and container cities to their sturdy, safe and comfortable homes within a year," Erdogan added.</p>.<p>The state was providing shelter to around 1,6 million people in the region, according to Erdogan, speaking after a visit to affected areas in Hatay province.</p>.<p>Erdogan said rescuers had saved 114,834 people from the rubble. Search and rescue efforts have ended in nine provinces, but as of Sunday continued in Hatay and Kahramanmaras.</p>.<p>"We will build a new Antakya, Iskenderun, Arsuz," the president said, referring to towns and cities in Hatay levelled by the quake.</p>.<p>The city of Antakya, once home to a myriad of civilisations, lies in ruins after the quake, with centuries-old mosques and churches destroyed.</p>