Turkey bans layoffs in 10 earthquake-hit cities, offers salary support to staff

Ankara: To protect a beleaguered population already suffering from the aftermath of one of the worst earthquakes in modern history, Turkey on Wednesday launched a temporary wage support scheme and banned sudden layoffs in 10 cities reeling from the economic impact of the massive quakes. The moves are part of the Turkish government’s steps to minimise the financial impact of the earthquakes that left nearly 47,000 people dead and an equally large number displaced. Offices and businesses which were “heavily or moderately damaged” will benefit from support to partially cover wages of workers whose hours have been cut, the country’s Official Gazette said on Wednesday. A ban on layoffs was also introduced in 10 earthquake-hit provinces covered by a state of emergency. The Turkish Parliament imposed the state of emergency for three months on February 7 following a request by President Tayyip Erdogan. The new move mandates that the Turkish government will also offer salary support in a bid to mitigate the economic blow resulting from the massive earthquake that hit the south of the country earlier this month. Business groups and economists have said the earthquake could cost Ankara up to $100 billion to rebuild housing and urban infrastructure, and shave one to two percentage points off economic growth this year. Six more people were killed in another earthquake that rocked the border region of Turkey and Syria, authorities said on Tuesday, two weeks after a massive quake killed more than 47,000 people and damaged or destroyed hundreds of thousands of homes. It was followed by nearly 90 aftershocks, Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) said, adding fresh trauma to Antakya residents left homeless and living in tents by the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that devastated the region on February 6. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.