ERCIS, Turkey — Turkish rescue teams were digging through the remains of four collapsed buildings on Saturday in what the deputy prime minister said would be the final day of the search for survivors of a devastating earthquake six days ago.
The death toll in the 7.2-magnitude earthquake that also rattled parts of Iran and Armenia increased to 582, of whom 455 were in the eastern city of Ercis. Close to 4,000 were injured and some 230 were pulled out of the ruins alive, authorities said.
On Saturday, rescuers pulled the body of a 27-year old female teacher from a crumbled building and continued drilling through the wreckage in search of two other missing people.
Deputy Prime Minister Besir Atalay said rescue work was under way at four sites in Ercis but he expected it to end later in the day.
Some survivors, meanwhile, expressed frustration over an uneven quake-relief response, even after foreign assistance began pouring in and the government said an initial shortage of tents had now largely been overcome.
Interior Minister Idris Naim Sahin said the government was making plans to house the homeless in temporary, prefabricated homes or container-style housing units within two months.
Turkey canceled parades and other ceremonies marking the 88th anniversary of the founding of the republic.
“It doesn’t feel like a holiday to us,” said Bayram Ala. “We’re in an earthquake zone.
Front Section, Pages 14 on 10/30/2011