Turkey allocates billions more for quake recovery

Turkey has reportedly pumped more than $91 billion into rebuilding the economy following the devastating February 2023 earthquakes.

The country’s 2026 budget allocates an additional 653 billion lira ($15 billion) for quake-hit areas, the Anadolu news agency reported, citing official data.

The quakes were among the country’s worst disasters, leaving more than 53,000 dead and impacting thousands of buildings across 11 provinces.

Nearly 440,000 new homes and 22,000 workplaces have been completed so far, according to an official report. Around 85 percent of displaced residents have returned to their home cities.

Of the 147 billion lira collected in the disaster and emergency management authority’s account, 134 billion lira has been disbursed. This includes 44 billion lira for housing, 60 billion lira for tent and container infrastructure and 9 billion lira to support relocation.

Additional allocations include 72 billion lira for the construction of 13,321 classrooms, 123 billion lira for hospitals and healthcare, 51 billion lira for power and energy networks, 20 billion lira for roads and highways, and 26 billion lira for rail infrastructure.

The government transferred 17 billion lira to farmers in 2025, while support for small and medium-sized enterprises reached 48 billion lira.

Recovery spending is supported by $9 billion in international funding, which has lifted the fiscal burden of the disaster to more than $100 billion, the report said.

The quakes are estimated to have inflicted a $103.6 billion hit on the Turkish economy, the government said in February 2024.

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