Turkish anger turns to Erdogan on inadequate quake response, weak buildings

The criticism comes as Erdogan prepares for national elections in May, where he is seeking to extend his record two-decade rule - one marked by a surge in building hailed by the president

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is facing mounting criticism from earthquake survivors and opposition parties over the country’s poor construction record and what they say has been an inadequate response to one of its worst natural disasters.

With the national death toll from Monday’s two massive tremors passing 16,500, critics say the government’s delay in sending cranes and other heavy machinery to lift slabs of concrete missed a critical window of opportunity to save people. Experts fear tens of thousands more people are buried under the rubble, meaning the number of fatalities is likely to keep rising. 

Erdogan has conceded