Africa-Press – South-Africa. South African rescue workers in Turkey, who are providing relief to victims of an earthquake earlier this month, were caught in another earthquake on Monday.
Two earthquakes – of 6.4 and 5.8 magnitude – struck the southern Turkish city of Antakya and was felt in Syria, Egypt and Lebanon. Initial reports claim that six people were killed, adding to the 47 000 death toll already recorded this month.
Islamic Relief South Africa said a small contingent of South Africans had been working in Turkey and Syria on Monday, but there were no injuries among the team.
Ahmed Mahmoud, Islamic Relief’s Head of Mission in Turkey and Syria, said: “Our teams on the ground felt the latest earthquake as they worked [on Monday] evening.
There is widespread panic, and the streets are full of people, as families are leaving their homes, feeling unsafe. There are reports of people jumping from shaking buildings in an attempt to escape, injuring themselves in the process. Many people will spend the night outside in the cold, with temperatures below zero.”
Islamic Relief South Africa said there had been reports of buildings collapsing, but none of the team members had been affected.
“We are on the ground supporting hospitals and health facilities in Syria and Turkey with medical supplies. People here have gone through unimaginable horror and suffering in the past few weeks and are now faced with sheer terror once again,” said Mahmoud.
Monday’s earthquake struck only days after another South African rescue team returned home.
Gift of the Givers founder Imtiaz Sooliman said: “Fortunately, for us, our teams were not on site. Our condolences to the families of those that lost their lives and the Turkish people.”
The Gift of the Givers search and rescue teams arrived in South Africa on Saturday.
Meanwhile, hours of waiting for news of loved ones in Turkey, not knowing if they’re dead, alive or trapped under rubble, is the grim aftermath faced by Turkish nationals living in South Africa, such as journalist Turkmen Terzi.
Terzi, a Turkish national and permanent resident in South Africa, said his family had been on tenterhooks since a devastating earthquake ravaged his hometown, Kahramanmaras, in southern Turkey, two weeks ago.
Terzi’s in-laws live in Gaziantep, only a short distance from the epicentre of Monday’s earthquake.
“My father-in-law felt the earthquake at around 19:00. He came out of his house and ran into the street. They spent the night in their car, in case there were any aftershocks,” said Terzi.
“My wife has been crying since the 6 February earthquake. We worry about aftershocks or that there will be more earthquakes. My wife’s family cannot leave. There is lots of looting and they can’t leave their home, belongings and business unattended.”
Terzi said the worst part was that family members were often left without any communication immediately after an earthquake, as cellular signals were interrupted.
“It can take hours to reach anyone,” he said.
Terzi’s immediate family was affected by earthquakes that shook the country earlier this month.
Both his parents and sister’s homes were damaged in the earthquake in the Kahramanmaras area. A number of his relatives are currently living in the family farmhouse, despite the building being unsuitable for the icy winter conditions. Four of his relatives died.
“It is very, very emotional. The place where you were born is completely destroyed,” he said.
Terzi added that he had been unable to fully grieve.
“You see everything, but you can’t go there. You can’t join the funerals,” he said.
Terzi has experienced a number of earthquakes in Turkey.
In November 1999, he felt the Duzce earthquake while in Ankara. He was inside a building during an aftershock and can still recall his fear.
“I was in a four-storey building that shook very badly. I thought I would die,” he recalls.
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