The Turkish president on Wednesday pledged to first complete search and rescue efforts and then carry out accommodation and subsistence services to earthquake victims "by making sure no one suffers."
Speaking on the nationwide "Türkiye United as One" aid campaign TV broadcast via phone call, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said "every penny" collected on the nationwide campaign will be used for the earthquake victims.
The campaign is also being broadcast on 213 national and international television channels as well as 562 radio channels.
Conveying condolences to all those affected by the earthquake, Erdoğan said search and rescue and aid efforts, which were being held under "extraordinary struggle" continue.
He further said that the shortcomings on the initial days of the earthquake have significantly been eliminated.
"Our works have expedited with the efforts of our 250,000 personnel and with our entire nation. We would like to express our gratitude to everyone, including public personnel, civil society members and volunteers, with whom we shouldered the disaster of the century," he said.
Erdoğan thanked all friendly countries for their solidarity messages and search and rescue efforts as well as those taking part in the nationwide aid campaign.
"We will first complete the search and rescue efforts, not leave a single person under the rubble, and carry out the subsistence and accommodation services in a way that will not cause anyone grievances," he added.
Reiterating their goal to rebuild the quake-hit buildings within a year, the Turkish president said: "In yesterday's Cabinet meeting, we collected 136.6 million Turkish liras in aid."
On Feb. 6, two powerful earthquakes struck southern Türkiye, centered in Kahramanmaras and shaking ten other provinces-Hatay, Gaziantep, Adiyaman, Malatya, Adana, Diyarbakir, Kilis, Osmaniye, Sanliurfa, and Elazig.
The death toll has now climbed over 35,400, with thousands more injured.
Felt in several countries, the magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 tremors also caused massive destruction in northern Syria, where more than 3,500 lives have been lost.
Türkiye One Heart, raised almost 100 billion Turkish liras ($5.3 billion) within two hours, as of 9.15 p.m. local time (1815GMT).
Companies, institutions, organizations, and individuals make donations to the campaign via a joint live broadcast through 200 television and 500 radio channels,
So far, the Turkish Central Bank made the highest donation worth 30 billion Turkish liras ($1.6 billion), followed by the state-run lenders Ziraat with 20 billion liras ($1 billion), Vakif with 12 billion ($637 million) liras and Halk with 7 billion liras ($371.3 million).
The country's GSM operators Turkcell and Turk Telekom donated 3.5 billion liras ($185.6 million) and 2 billion liras ($106 million), respectively.
Turkish conglomerates Cengiz Holding and Kalyoncular Holding donated 2.5 billion Turkish liras ($132.6 million) and 950 million liras ($50.4 million), respectively.
Türkiye's Saving Deposit Insurance Fund, Borsa Istanbul, and Türkiye Sigorta donated 2 billion liras ($106 million) each.
The country's aviation firm Baykar and flag carrier Turkish Airlines donated 2 billion liras ($106 million) each.
