Istanbul, 22 April 2023 (dpa/MIA) - The number of people confirmed dead after several devastating earthquakes in February has risen to 50,782 in Turkey alone, according to government figures.

Among them were around 7,300 foreigners, Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu told broadcaster CNN Türk on Saturday.

On February 6, two strong earthquakes with a magnitude of 7.7 and 7.6 shook south-eastern Turkey and northern Syria. In total, more than 57,000 people were killed in both countries and more than 2 million people were left homeless in Turkey alone.

Last week, a storm in the earthquake region of Kahramanmaras damaged tents housing survivors, killing one person and injuring at least 50.

Looking ahead to Turkey's May 14 parliamentary and presidential elections, Soylu said security arrangements would be made in the earthquake zone, without giving details. Voting will take place in schools as well as in freight containers, he said.