ANTAKYA/ANKARA, Turkey - A government official said on Friday that Turkey has begun work to rebuild homes after this month's devastating earthquakes, as the combined death toll in Turkey and Syria surpassed 50,000.

In the Feb. 6 earthquakes that killed tens of thousands in Turkey and neighboring Syria, more than 160,000 buildings containing 520,000 apartments collapsed or were severely damaged.

On Friday night, the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) announced that the death toll in Turkey from earthquakes had risen to 44,218.

With Syria's latest announced death toll of 5,914, the two countries' combined death toll now exceeds 50,000.

With an election coming up in a few months, President Tayyip Erdogan has pledged to rebuild homes within a year, though experts say the authorities should prioritize safety over speed. In the most recent earthquakes, some buildings designed to withstand tremors collapsed.

"Tenders and contracts have been issued for a number of projects. The procedure is moving at a breakneck pace. According to the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, there would be no compromise on safety.

Authorities say tents have been delivered to the many homeless people, but people have reported difficulty accessing them.

"I have eight kids. We're sleeping in a tent. The tent has water on the roof, and the ground is wet. We request more tents, but they refuse to provide them "Melek, 67, was waiting in line to receive aid outside a high school in Hassa.

Interrail Turkey, a group of volunteers, was using the school as an aid distribution center. According to one volunteer, Sumeyye Karabocek, the most pressing issue is a lack of tents.

Erdogan's government has faced widespread criticism for both its response to the devastation and, according to many Turks, years of non-enforcement of construction quality control.

According to him, the Turkish government's initial plan is to build 200,000 apartments and 70,000 village houses at a cost of at least $15 billion. JPMorgan Chase estimated that rebuilding houses and infrastructure would cost $25 billion.

According to the UNDP, the destruction has left 1.5 million people homeless, with 500,000 new homes required.

It said it had requested $113.5 million of the $1 billion in funds requested by the UN last week, adding that it would use the money to clear mountains of rubble.

According to the UNDP, the disaster produced between 116 million and 210 million tons of rubble, compared to 13 million tons of rubble after the 1999 earthquake in northwest Turkey.

Turkey also issued new regulations allowing businesses and charities to construct homes and workplaces to donate to the ministry of urbanization for people in need.

Many survivors have fled the earthquake-ravaged region of southern Turkey, or have taken refuge in tents, container homes, and other government-sponsored accommodations.

Saeed Sleiman Ertoglu, 56, of Antakya, loaded up what was left of his stock from his water pipe shop that had not been damaged.

"The glassware was very beautiful, more than usual," he said after his home and shop survived the first tremors but not the second. He estimated that only 5% of his inventory had survived.

"What can we do?" he wondered. "This is a divine act, and God's will always yields gifts."