Ruling AKP MP Yakup Taş dies under rubble

Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) lawmaker Yakup Taş (64) has died under the rubble in Adıyaman province after two major earthquakes hit southeastern Turkey, at magnitudes of 7.7 and 7.6 respectively.

Tuesday February 07 2023 04:25 pm

Duvar English

Ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) lawmaker Yakup Taş has died under the rubble at the age of 64 in Adıyaman province after two major earthquakes struck southeastern Turkey nine hours apart.

AKP lawmaker Metin Yavuz announced the saddening news of Taş's death on Twitter on Feb. 7.

AK Parti Adıyaman Milletvekilimiz Yakup TAŞ'ın hayatını kaybettiğini büyük bir üzüntüyle öğrendim.

Rabbim vekilimize ve tüm deprem şehitlerimize rahmeti ile muamele eylesin. Mekanları cennet olsun. pic.twitter.com/0qoJD83GLS
— 𝙈𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙣 𝙔𝘼𝙑𝙐𝙕 (@metinyavuz009) February 7, 2023

Taş became an AKP lawmaker from southeastern province of Adıyaman in the 2018 election.

The death toll from devastating earthquakes in southeastern Turkey has risen to 5,434, more than 31,000 people were injured, and at least 5,775 buildings collapsed as a result.

The initial earthquake at a magnitude of 7.7 struck southeastern province of Kahramanmaraş's Pazarcık district on Feb. 6 at 4:17 a.m. local time.

The second earthquake at a magnitude of 7.6 struck Kahramanmaraş's Elbistan district at 1.24 p.m. local time on the same day.

Five million people live in the region affected by the earthquake. The population of the ten affected Turkish provinces exceeds 13 million.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Feb. 7 declared a state of emergency for three months in 10 southeastern provinces hit by two major earthquakes.