Greek Orthodox churches in the region have launched fundraising campaigns to help those in need and to eventually rebuild and repair churches there.
By Mehmet Guzel, Suzan Fraser and Sarah El Deeb
ADIYAMAN, Turkey (AP).— thousands of survivors of the powerful earthquake what a thrill to Turkey and Syria last week crowded into tents or lined up on the street for hot food on MondayWhile the desperate search for people still alive was probably entering its final hours.
In nearby Hatay province in southern Turkeylos rescuers they yelled and clapped when a 13 year old boyidentified only as Kaan, was rescued of the ruins 182 hours after the earthquake intensity 7.8 from a week ago.
Thousands of local and foreign rescuers—including Turkish miners and experts with bloodhound dogs and thermal cameras—were scanning the pulverized chunks of concrete for signs of life.
While tales of miraculous rescues have proliferated in recent days — many broadcast live on Turkish television and broadcast around the world — tens of thousands of dead have been found in the same period. Experts say that with temperatures hovering around minus 6 degrees Celsius (21 degrees Fahrenheit) — and the total collapse of so many buildings — the chance of finding people alive has all but vanished.
The 7.8 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes struck southeastern Turkey and northern Syria nine hours apart on February 6. They killed at least 35,000 people, and the number was expected to rise considerably as more bodies were found. Tremors turned cities and towns inhabited by millions of people into shards of concrete and twisted metal.
The Confederation of Turkish Companies, a business organization not affiliated with the government, estimates the financial damage in Turkey alone at $84.1 billion. That is a much higher amount than those offered by officials so far, and was calculated based on a statistical comparison with the 1999 earthquake that struck northwestern Turkey.
UN officials admit aid has been too slow, and on Monday Turkey offered to open a second border crossing with Syria to help the international effort.
About 100 kilometers (62 miles) from the epicenter, almost no houses were left standing in the village of Polat, where residents hauled refrigerators, washing machines and other belongings out of their collapsed homes.
In the town of Polat, in Malatya province, about 100 kilometers (62 miles) from the epicenter, hardly any houses were left standing. Neighbors were trying to salvage refrigerators, washing machines and other objects from destroyed houses.
Zehra Kurukafa, who lives in the village, said not enough tents had arrived and up to four families had to share what was available.
“We slept in the mud, all together with two, three, even four families. There are not enough tents,” she said.
Turkish authorities said Monday that more than 150,000 survivors have been transferred to shelters outside the affected provinces.
In the city of Adiyaman, 25-year-old Musa Bozkurt was waiting for a vehicle that would take him and other people to the city of Afyon in western Turkey.
“We are leaving, but we have no idea what will happen when we get there,” Bozkurt said. “We have no goal. Even if there was (a plan), what would it be worth after this? I no longer have my father or my uncle. What do I have left?
Despite the destruction, Fuat Ekinci, a 55-year-old farmer, was reluctant to leave his home in rural Adiyaman for Afyon. He did not have the means to live elsewhere and his fields required attention, he explained.
“Those who have the means leave, but we are poor,” he said. “The government says, go away and live there for a month or two. How do I leave my home? My fields are here, this is my home, how do I leave it behind?
Volunteers from across Turkey have mobilized to help the millions of survivors, such as a group of volunteer cooks and restaurant owners serving traditional food such as rice and beans and lentil soup to those affected in the center of Adiyaman.
The damage included World Heritage Sites such as Antioch on Turkey’s southern coast, a major ancient port and ancient center of Christianity.