Approximately 600,000 apartments have been destroyed or sustained serious damage and will have to be demolished as a result of earthquakes in Turkey, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu told the TRT TV channel on Wednesday.

"The assessment of damage caused by the earthquakes in Kahramanmaras is 75-80% complete. According to obtained data, 600,000 separate units (mostly apartments - TASS) have been destroyed and should be urgently demolished or sustained medium or severe damage. If we add retail facilities to this figure, it will come to 750,000," the official said.