Ankara - In the aftermath of this month's earthquakes in Turkey, which caused widespread devastation and loss of life, authorities have arrested 184 people suspected of responsibility for the collapse of buildings.

Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag announced that over 600 people had been investigated in connection with collapsed buildings, and those arrested and remanded in custody include contractors, property owners, and those who had made alterations to buildings.

President Tayyip Erdogan, who faces upcoming elections, has promised accountability, and many Turks have expressed outrage at what they see as corrupt building practices and flawed urban developments.

The death toll from the earthquakes has risen to 44,128, and more than 160,000 buildings containing 520,000 apartments were severely damaged or collapsed. Nearly three weeks after the disaster, there is still no final death toll, and it is unclear how many bodies may still be trapped under the rubble.

Nearly two million people left homeless by the disaster are being housed in tents, container homes, and other facilities in the region and other parts of the country, but some are still living in makeshift shelters.

The earthquake also caused damage to Turkey's only remaining ethnic Armenian village, Vakifli, with many of its stone houses heavily damaged. Masis, a retired jeweler who moved back to Vakifli after spending 17 years in Istanbul, expressed heartbreak over the destruction of the village, which holds significant cultural and historical value for Armenia.

Nearly three weeks since the disaster, there is no final death toll in Turkey and officials have not said how many bodies may still be trapped under the rubble.