AlHijjah 17, 1432, Nov 13, 2011, SPA - The death toll from Turkey's 5.6-magnitude earthquake climbed to 37 on Saturday, as rescue workers in Van combed through the wreckage of the second earthquake to hit the eastern city in three weeks. Rescuers continued pulling bodies from the lobby of the Bayram Hotel, which collapsed during a 5.6-magnitude temblor on Wednesday night. Among the dead were two Turkish journalists - Cem Emir, 26, and Sebahattin Yilmaz, 52 - who had stayed in the hotel while filing news reports for the Dogan News Agency. Their bodies were found early Saturday, dashing initial hopes that they might have survived. While speaking before survivors in a tent city in Ercis, the Van provincial town on Saturday, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said "Of course, there have been shortcomings. That is true. It's not easy when a gigantic disaster happens in a moment. It's not possible to solve every problem at once." He said his coming to Ercis, 70 kilometres northwest of Van city, with 10 cabinet ministers "shows how much importance I give to this region. "During the winter we will have some difficulties, but we will mobilize all our resources. Tents, containers (for families to live in), food and medicine will be provided," the prime minister was quoted as saying by the German Press Agency "DPA". Turkey's NTV channel reported Saturday that the death toll had reached 37. Rescuers say it is extremely unlikely that anyone will be found alive under the remaining detritus.
