Turkish Americans in North Texas offer help after massive earthquake Turkey, Syria

NORTH TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) – A powerful earthquake of magnitude 7.8 It hit southeastern Turkey on Monday morning, destroying homes, killing more than 3,800 people and leaving devastation across a wide area of ​​the country and northern Syria.

“We are very concerned about the loss of life and the facts look very frightening, and we are concerned that today and tomorrow the number will increase,” said Erdal Sipahi, president of the Turkish American Association of North Texas.

Like many Turkish Americans, Sipahi was glued to the television to receive news of the devastation left by the earthquake. Although he has no family or friends in the affected region, he knows friends in North Texas whose family is trapped under the rubble.

“It’s very, very, very tragic as you see buildings collapse, you can see some videos of people being pulled out and Turkish rescue organizations are going full steam ahead.”

In happier times, the Turkish American Association of North Texas (TURANT) promotes Turkish culture and supports the Turkish American community in North Texas. Now their members are coming together to find out how they can help the recovery efforts on the ground in Turkey.

“Now the most important thing is to look for and save people who are still alive,” Sipahi said. “The search and rescue people are very talented, but they will need these cash donations.”

TURANT is working to raise money for search and rescue organizations and is partnering with Turkish-American associations across the country to figure out how to get supplies back to their homelands.

“I expect Turkish Airlines to form a bridge from the United States to the various cities they serve, including Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston in Texas, as well as other cities, to help us deliver some of the donations that people may be thinking about giving. . Sipahi said. “Physical donations such as blankets, clothes, coats, winter clothes, shoes, baby products.”

TURANT is asking for the community’s help in finding a warehouse where they can collect these donations in the coming days.

“We are all volunteers, we have not experienced such destruction in our country for a long time,” Sipahi said. “Please pray and hope for the best.”

TURANT has compiled a list of organizations you can send donations to to support recovery efforts: