Turkey’s quake toll tops 48,000 as gov’t races to build container cities

The death toll in Turkey from last month's major earthquakes has risen to 48,448, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said on Monday, as authorities rush to set up container cities to house for the longer-term those left homeless by the disaster.

The combined death toll including those killed in Syria has climbed to more than 54,000.

Speaking at a news conference in Malatya, one of the provinces hit by the quakes, Soylu said the toll in Turkey included 6,660 foreign nationals, mostly Syrians, adding that authorities were still trying to identify 1,615 victims.

The earthquake and subsequent powerful tremors injured more than 115,000 in Turkey and left millions sheltering in tents or seeking to move to other cities.

President Tayyip Erdogan has pledged to rebuild homes within a year but it will be many months before thousands can leave their tents or...