in gaziantep in southern turkey. president erdogan s government has been accused of accepting billions of dollars in payments to approve buildings that didn t meet earthquake safety standards. this is one of the apartment blocks that was next door to the petrol station. 136 people were living there at the time the earthquake struck. so why did so many people die? our correspondent nick beake has been investigating, and he sent us this report. night and day, they ve been waiting for a miracle. but there is no sign of one. their relatives lived in the most expensive part of this city. that meant nothing, as their apartment block turned to dust. emre, whose five loved ones are missing, says so many people are to blame. translation: they have the blood of the people who died here on their hands.
and there is fury over why so many buildings collapsed. the turkish government is accused of accepting billions of dollars in payments for approving buildings that didn t meet earthquake safety standards. this is one of the apartment blocks in that neighbourhood. 136 people living here were killed when it collapsed. the bbc s europe correspondent nick beake has spent the past few days investigating why so many died here. night and day, they ve been waiting for a miracle. but there is no sign of one. their relatives lived in the most expensive part of this city. that meant nothing, as their apartment block turned to dust. emre, whose five loved ones are missing, says so many people are to blame. translation: they have the blood of the people who died here on their hands. it s not right to scapegoat the contractors.
many human failings. and some people are saying that it s actually criminal negligence or even manslaughter on an industrial scale. and here over the past few days, we have been putting together one story which sadly seems to be reflected right across the country. night and day, they ve been waiting for a miracle. but there s no sign of one. their relatives lived in the most expensive part of this city. that meant nothing, as their apartment block turned to dust. emre, whose five loved ones are missing, says so many people are to blame. translation: they have the blood of the people who died here on their hands. it s not right to scapegoat the contractor. the ones who approved this building are responsible, together with the government and the state.
word on their loved ones this man is looking for his sister and nephew he says he is waiting for a miracle. for some, miracles have come. rescuers pulled nine people from the rubble, injured but alive. ukraine s president zelenskyy accused russia of targeting civilians as russia now gains ground in eastern ukraine. attacks like these have forced some ukrainians to spend their weekend learning first aid. pressure released reporter: and how to spot unexploded munitions. come look here this is just one example of things that people have to now look out for across ukraine. this is an unexploded ordinance. this one is fake, but they can be real and very, very dangerous irinia took the class. unfortunately, we have to live in this reality. you see this? reporter: a reality with no end in sight russia continues to claim they do not target civilians meanwhile, turkey s president spoke with president putin on the phone today trying to convince russia to end its blockade of
apartment building over the weekend. rescuers diligently combing through the rubble. families desperate for word on their loved ones. this man looking for his sister and nephew. he says he is waiting for a miracle. for some, miracles have come. rescuers pulled nine people from the rubble injured but alive. ukraine s president zelenskyy accused russia of targeting civilians, as russia now gains grown in eastern ukraine. attacks like these have forced some ukrainians to spend their weeks rendering aid and how to spot unexploded munitions. this is one example of things people have to look out for across ukraine. this is an unexploded ordnance this. one is fake. but they can be real. and very, very dangerous. this girl took the place. we have to live in this rezblalt a reality with no end in sight.