Turkey earthquake: Aid lorries looted by survivors

Local officials in the city of Van said that survivors, furious at not receiving supplies, had raided the convoy for food and blankets, BBC News reports.

In the worst-hit town of Ercis, thieves stopped a lorry carrying tents.

Two more people were pulled alive from the rubble on Wednesday, but hopes are fading that more survivors will be found.

More than 480 people are known to have died in Sunday's earthquake, but the Red Crescent believes that hundreds are still trapped under the rubble, feared dead.

Rescue workers are trying to get food and blankets to survivors as temperatures plummet in the mountainous region.

Thousands of people - who have been left homeless - are spending a fourth night in freezing weather conditions and snow.

Turkey has said it will accept offers of aid from foreign countries to cope with the aftermath of the earthquake, after initially declining offers of help.

Housing survivors

The Turkish authorities said there was an urgent need for accommodation.

Van province Governor Munir Karaloglu said 3,000 buildings had collapsed or were made useless.

"Some residents with no damage in their homes are unable to go back because of aftershocks. That is why everyone wants tents," Reuters quoted him as saying.

"We estimate the total number of people affected is 600,000. To provide tents to this amount of people in one or two days is something no country would be able to do.

"After the search and rescue efforts our biggest problem is housing. Our biggest need is tents for those citizens whose houses have completely collapsed."

Survivors, many now living in camps, have fought over shipments of aid and blocked deliveries.

Health officials have urged them to drink bottled water after detecting an increase in diarrhoea cases, especially among children.

Nazmi Gur, a local politician in Van, told the BBC News website that "hundreds of thousands of people" needed help.

Details also at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-15471794