Turkey with over 10,000 earthquake deaths faces 'earthquake tax' controversy spreading... "Where was it diverted?"

US Geological Survey "Death Toll May Exceed 100,000"
Earthquake Tax Collected for Over 20 Years, Usage Not Disclosed

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] The death toll from the earthquake that occurred in the border area between Turkey (T?rkiye) and Syria has surpassed 10,000, and strong allegations have emerged that the disaster preparedness tax, known as the 'earthquake tax,' has been misused both inside and outside T?rkiye. As these allegations surface, it is evaluated that a red light has been turned on for President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an's bid for re-election, with the presidential election scheduled for May. With public sentiment deteriorating sharply, there is growing attention on whether a major wave of political change will sweep through T?rkiye's political scene.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

According to CNN on the 8th (local time), the Turkish government announced that the confirmed death toll from the earthquake so far is 9,057, with 52,979 injured. Considering that the Syrian Ministry of Health reported 1,200 deaths, it is estimated that the total number of deaths from the earthquake that occurred on the 6th has exceeded 10,000.

However, many bodies have yet to be recovered from the earthquake debris, raising concerns that the actual death toll will continue to rise. The World Health Organization (WHO) has projected that the total number of deaths from this earthquake could exceed 20,000, and the United States Geological Survey (USGS) has pointed out that the death toll could possibly exceed 100,000.

Residents of Gaziantep, T?rkiye, near the epicenter, which suffered severe damage, have expressed dissatisfaction with the government's inadequate response and lukewarm measures. Voices of anger are rising both inside and outside T?rkiye's political circles, questioning where the government has spent the so-called 'earthquake tax,' a disaster damage preparedness tax collected for more than 20 years since 1999.

According to CNN, Turkish authorities introduced the 'earthquake tax' after a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck the northwestern Turkish city of ?zmit in 1999, killing 17,400 people, with the purpose of disaster prevention and emergency service development. This tax has been collected under the item called 'special communication tax' for over 20 years, and it is estimated that more than 88 billion lira (approximately 5.8 trillion won) has been collected to date. However, the Turkish government has never disclosed how this tax revenue has been used.