The owner of a Watford restaurant has shared stories of children lying in rubble next to their dead parents for days after Turkey’s earthquake.
Duygu Celik and her husband Ilhan Kekec own Derwish Turkish Meze & BBQ Restaurant in St Albans Road, Watford.
The couple, both originally from Turkey, decided to organise donations including clothes, nappies, baby food, blankets, non-perishables, adult foods and hygiene sets, via their restaurant, to send to the country after the devastating earthquake, which has so far seen an estimated 35,000 people die.
Fortunately, none of the couple’s family lost their lives in the disaster, but the impact on them and others is still strong.
Mrs Celik said: “We have been told there are still smaller earthquakes happening, which is traumatising for everyone, especially the children.
“We have heard that children have been saved from the rubble, but they have been lying there for two to three days next to their dead parents.”
Mr Kekec’s auntie who lives in the city of Maras with her four young children had her entire home destroyed by the earthquake.
Mrs Celik said: “Afterwards she was sleeping outside with her children for five days.
“All of the roads were closed off and none of our family could get to them sooner.”
While physically they are all safe and alive, the emotional trauma is prevalent.
Mrs Celik said: “Our auntie is completely numb, in a total state of shock and not being able to explain anything.”
To date, the couple who live in north London with their two children, have taken eight van loads of donations to organisations in North London that are delivering to Turkey.
Mrs Celik said: “We thought it is impossible to fly out there when what they really need now is doctors and nurses.
“We thought let’s do the best we can over here.
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“The response has been so overwhelming that at the restaurant we had to stop accepting clothes and nappies for now.”
Generators, torches, heaters and power banks are still needed in Turkey and Mrs Celik said if people want to donate these items, then she will be able to point them in the right direction.
She added: “I want to say a big thank you to everyone who donated. It means so much to us.”
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