Several hours after two consecutive earthquakes struck Turkey on Monday, killing more than 1,500 people and wounding tens of thousands, Turkish-origin individuals residing in India were terrified for their relatives and friends, some of whom were believed to be buried beneath the wreckage.
Burcu Yagiz, a 41-year-old professor who has resided in India since 2015, reported that she cannot reach her close family in her birthplace of Hatay on the Syrian border via phone or social media.
"I believe they are stuck beneath the rubble since no one can reach them. Their homes have collapsed, and I fear that further family members may perish as a result of this disaster. Several of my relatives who survived the earthquake wept during the entire phone call. All of their life savings and the homes they worked so hard to construct have been reduced to rubble, she reported to The Indian Express.
Yagiz, who is currently residing in Mumbai, claimed that her relatives have been sitting in their automobiles, terrified for their life due to the possibility of another earthquake. My relatives inform me that they have run out of food and are battling to obtain basic necessities. I hope rescue crews treat them with care. The majority of calls from here are also failing to connect since the cell connection has been disrupted there, she bemoaned.
The 35-year-old proprietor of Alaturka Doner Kebab and Falafel in the Select CityWalk mall in Delhi's Saket, Unsal Alaturka, stated that his cousin brother and other family members reside in Gaziantep, which was also severely damaged by the earthquake. "I have communicated with my cousin and his family via phone conversations and social media. They are terrified for their life and inform me that nearby structures have begun collapsing. "Even if I wanted to, I cannot return to Turkey at this moment since my family needs me," Alaturka explained.
He claimed that his relatives have relocated to the suburban homes of their acquaintances. "Their roads and the most of their homes have been damaged. Everyone has left their homes; it will be impossible to recoup the financial damages," he stated.
Fidan Duman, 37, a civil engineer who lives in the nation's capital with her husband and two children, recalled the time she spent with her close friends in Turkey, the majority of whom reside in Gaziantep, and said that she has not been able to sleep or think of anything else since the devastating earthquake struck her homeland. "I have been addicted to the television and following news updates frequently because I feel bad for not being with my friends in this time of need. "As the number of casualties continues to rise, I fear that it could be one of my friends, so I immediately contact to see if they are okay," said Fidan.