The remains of a family’s belongings Photo Hasina Gori
Turkey – It has been two weeks since the massive earthquakes razed cities and destroyed lives. The mood across Turkey is still one of mourning and silence. Many are still coming to terms with the destruction they saw as aftershocks continue to shake Turkey and remind them of that horrific morning.
On top of a mound in the centre of Gaziantep stands the great Gaziantep Castle. This particular castle has survived many wars and played an important role during the early 20th Century Turkish War of Independence . Its walls, that kept different enemies at bay, have fallen to these massive earthquakes.
The 2000 year old castle in Gaziantep is all but destroyed following the recent earthquakes. It is located in the heart of the city, closest to the quake’s epicenter Video Hasina Gori
Packing up the temporary shelters
The ruins of the once proud and tall Gaziantep Castle overlooks the temporary shelters set up in the town. These shelters, which housed many of those impacted by the earthquakes, are being taken down. The immediate aid relief is coming to an end and now long term plans are being looked at, said Hasina Gori, Salaamedia’s reporter in Turkey.
“On Saturday when we were there, those tents were being dismantled because immediate relief action has now come to a halt and there’s more long-term plans. Those that were displaced once again now need to look for another place which is in another more prominent camp. These are usually in the stadiums, schools, some of the universities and if there’s no space there then they are left on the streets.”
Now its collapsed facade is a reminder of the natural disaster. At its foots temporary shelter have been set up to house the many displaced and homeless quake victims Video Hasina Gori
The Turkish government has given a grant to those impacted by the earthquake but those who have survived say it won’t bring back those they have lost. While the grant is to provide some relief at this time, prices of goods and accommodation are increasing substantially as things become scarce, said Gori.
Elif Sahin is one of the victims who were trapped under the rubble, her mother is still missing. They now searching for shelter as temporary relief tents in Gaziantep city centre are being dismantled Video Hasina Gori
SMread: Aftershocks bring back the haunting memories of the earthquake
A country in mourning
It is clear when walking through the bazaar and city centre of Istanbul that the entire country is in pain. Turkish residents have come out to help those in need. Whether it be to open their homes to them or help package boxes of aid. There is grief and sadness all around, described Gori.
“You see the buskers that usually line Istiklal and Taksim Square now playing very softer melodies compared to the usual melodies that you hear while you walk into the streets. It is somewhat business as usual … We walked through the city, through the Silk Road, and you looked through the bazaar there and it was quite closed. Most of it was not operational. There were one or two shoemakers and iron copper workers still working. For most part they weren’t even trying to hustle or heckle people for them to come in and buy their supplies which is quite rare anywhere in Turkey.”
It is believed that almost 15 million people have been displaced. There are still cities that need to be cleared, rubble that needs to be removed and people that need to be housed. The path to recovery is going to be a long one but with hearts so big, the Turkish people can lean on each other for support. Life is slowly returning to normal but for those who have lost everything, it is hard to see when life will become normal for them again.
To hear more from Hasina Gori about what Turkey is like currently, listen to the podcast here
