Photo of a destroyed house. Photo: Anastasia Boino
In Turkey, the second day eliminates the consequences of a monstrous earthquake, which, according to the latest data, claimed the lives of more than 3 thousand people. Russians in the country continue to tell how people are experiencing this tragedy.
Anastasia, 36, lives in one of the most affected cities, Gaziantep. She, her husband, and their two children, ages 10 and 5, were trapped in her home by the earthquake, like many others. Fortunately, the family reacted quickly and literally five minutes after the start of the tremors, they were all out on the street:
– At 4:17 it all started, and at 4:23 my family and I were already on the street. I quickly woke up the children and dressed them. And they waited for it to stop, but everything was shaking and shaking. Lights went out everywhere. And then came the little aftershocks. We sat in the car for 4 hours, constantly shaking. The first time was so strong. The children are fine, but they were very scared. Ever since I picked them up and ran out of the house. Then they were all sick and trembling. We experience a lot of stress.
Destruction. Photo: Anastasia Boino
Anastasia says that now the city is simply unrecognizable:
– The roads were destroyed, yesterday they couldn’t go anywhere. The airport is closed, it’s good that at least our house survived. Yesterday there were traffic jams, lines for gasoline. They all wanted to leave the city. There is no looting, no one is fighting for food or water, at least in our area. But now it’s cold here, especially at night, minus 5. And yesterday it rained all day.
Street. Photo: Anastasia Boino
At the same time, tremors are not new to Turkey. Since childhood, the locals are taught how to behave and what to do, but no one was ready for such a scale:
– In schools and even in kindergartens there is talk of earthquakes. Here nobody is afraid. Normally it is agitated in Istanbul, Izmir, but in Gaziantep… nobody would have thought of it. And then even the old people here don’t remember such disasters.
Highway in Gaziantep. Photo: Anastasia Boino
According to the woman, the situation is so difficult that literally all the forces of local rescuers are concentrated on clearing the rubble and searching for the people left under it. Other townspeople take care of those who managed to escape:
– The administration handed out blankets and fed everyone soup. Solidarity people take care of those who are left homeless. The owners of cafes and restaurants let everyone in, give free tea, a room. They are allowed to enter halls, mosques. You can stay warm until you leave. I know that EMERCOM from Russia has come to our city of Gaziantep.
Separately – about the soup. The serving will fit in a small coffee cup. Apparently, due to the number of victims, the city authorities must save money.
Soup. Photo: Anastasia Boino
According to Anastasia, there are no victims among the city’s Russian-speaking community:
– There are many Russian speakers here. They too are all alive and well. But many have communication breaks, people can barely talk to someone from their relatives. It is understandable that everyone is confused. I am with my family now. With mother-in-law and husband’s sister and brothers. We are in a safe place.
The tile came off. Photo: Anastasia Boino
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