By Emily Ingco
Earthquakes do not follow schedules.
A devastating 7.8 temblor struck the Syria-Turkey border area at 4:17 a.m.
At least 15,000 died in bed. About 60,000 are known to have perished.
Aftershocks of the February 6 quake shook as far as Southwestern College, were Turkey natives Bulent Bas and Cem Tont worried about relatives in their shattered homeland.
Geology Professor Bas was in his car when notified of the first earthquake.
“I was driving and I actually saw the notification on my Apple Watch from QuakeFeed,” he said. “I glanced at it, saw that there was an earthquake, and then I saw Turkey! When I stopped at the red light I saw it was 7.8. I felt horrible because I knew how awful that (powerful an) earthquake is. (The region it struck) is densely populated, so I immediately realized this was going to be a disaster.”
Fear for family members gripped him, he said, until he noticed the quake was far away from loved ones. Bas said his family is safe.
Gaziantep and neighboring cities were not as fortunate. Bas, a survivor of the 1994 magnitude 6.7 Northridge (Los Angeles) earthquake that erupted around 4:30 a.m., said he sympathized with victims of the Turkish disaster.
“My heart just sunk because I saw the devastation and lack of immediate response,” he said. “I knew the death toll would be really high, and I honestly don’t believe the numbers the government put out. A lot of that rubble hasn’t been searched and people put (death counts) at three times the official number.”
Bas is not alone. United Nations estimates range from 100,000 – 150,000 dead.
Turkey is on the East Anatolian Fault zone, a dangerous part of the world for quakes. Bas said the fault had been building up pressure for years and was due for a quake.
“Most people in southeastern Turkey are poor,” he said. “The vast majority didn’t know of the earthquake potential there. The government didn’t quite do its job of informing citizens and being disaster prepared. I think the biggest failing point is people don’t know enough and blindly trust the government because they are desperate for resources.”
Poor building standards in southeast and eastern Turkey include buildings not attached to foundations. Bas blamed the Turkish government for not springing into action to support working class citizens and failing to adequately invest in its infrastructure.
“(A disaster) is not a matter of if, but of when,” he said.
Tont, the head coach of the men’s soccer team, said he is optimistic the Turkish government will help citizens affected by the quakes.
“According to everybody, the president is responsible for the earthquake and everything,” he said. “I’m not saying they are out of their minds, but they must be reasonable. To blame the president and the government, in my opinion, is ridiculous and it’s time for Turkey to unite and help the wounds heal.”
Tont said he was stunned when he heard about the catastrophe on the news.
“This happened in my country that I just (visited),” he said. “I feel sorrow for the people.”
Fortunately, Tont’s loved ones did not suffer any loss from the earthquakes because they reside in Istanbul, in northwest Turkey. Tont said he feels great sadness for his nation of origin, but is confident Turkey will recover.
“The most it will be is a year to rebuild,” he said. “They are very active and quick. That seems reasonable and that’s a super quick time to rebuild. In the meantime, there’s (support) for people who lost their homes. Money has already been sent out for rent.”
Local Syrians and Turks are pitching in, said Tont.
“House of Turkey at Balboa Park is collecting donations,” he said. “(Cash) donations can also be made to ICSD (Islamic Center of San Diego).”
Bas said Turkey needs to make adjustments based on what it experienced in the earthquakes.
“We must educate ourselves and learn from others.”
To assist the earthquake victims of Syria and Turkey, send contributions to the Islamic Center of San Diego, 7050 Eckstrom Ave., San Diego, CA 92111.
