BINGOL, Turkey (Reuters) - Turkish rescuers gave up searching for survivors of a devastating earthquake on Sunday, more than three days after the tremor killed at least 167 people, including 84 boys in a collapsed school dormitory.
Huseyin Cos, governor of the easterly province of Bingol, told reporters that rescue operations had stopped because no signs of life had been found under the rubble since early on Friday.
"Rescue operations on the wreckage have come to an end," Cos said at the site of the dormitory.
Cos was the focus of protests that turned into riots on Friday by locals complaining of slow food and tent distribution in the disaster area.
The earthquake occurred early on Thursday morning, demolishing buildings in towns and villages throughout the mountainous province.
Cos promised a full investigation into allegations that the state-run school dormitory had been badly built by corrupt contractors.
"Just as it might be faulty building, the placement may have been wrong, or there may have been neglect by state officials doing the inspection. The investigation will find out who is responsible. The builders will be arrested sooner or later," he said.