Analysis: 10 days on

We're now 10 days on from the twin earthquakes that rocked Turkey, the deadliest disaster in its history.

Ragıp Soylu, Middle East Eye's Turkey bureau chief, gives his analysis of where things stand today:

Rescue operations are still underway but the situation is increasingly turning into a simple collection of bodies, with the death toll widely expected to surge in the coming days. Currently, in Turkey it stands at 35,418 people. At least 3,688 more have been confirmed dead next door in Syria.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wants to leave all that behind by launching several monetary aid packages for earthquake survivors and providing temporary housing for hundreds of thousands people who need urgent help.

People on the ground, however, complain about the absence of proper shelter in place, let alone other forms of aid, in some of the worst-affected cities like Hatay.

There is also another increasing threat. Doctors are warning about the risks of diseases that could emerge from human waste in the disaster zones, as toilets aren’t widely available in tent cities that have been erected and some urban areas. 

The country is divided.  

Even though Erdogan calls for unity, he continues to quietly criticise the opposition, and blames them for utilising the disaster to their advantage.

Yet, his senior aides are looking through all the legal options to delay the elections scheduled for June, saying that 10 cities wouldn’t be ready for the vote in the next few months.

The government’s image has been tarnished due to insufficient emergency response in the first 48 hours and there are worries in government circles that campaigning would be hindered and unfair if there's not sufficient time to show progress in the disaster zones.