'For two days I didn’t know what had happened to my parents': Cork’s Turkish community united in grief

A TURKISH native warned the impact of the recent earthquakes is more horrifying than media can ever depict, as he battles to support family members from his home in Cork.

Douglas local Firat Uygun, who hails from Hatay, said he wasn’t sure if his parents had survived the earthquake until two days after news of the disaster broke. They were among the only members of their families whose homes withstood the quake. However, both remain unable to access their homes and are currently sleeping in a car despite freezing temperatures.

His aunts, uncles, and cousins have all been left homeless after narrowly escaping with their lives.

Multi-storey apartment buildings are among the 5,606 structures now lying in rubble in Turkey. Meanwhile, Syria has suffered dozens of collapses, as well as damage to archaeological sites in Aleppo.

The death toll of the earthquake, which struck Turkey and Syria, was in the region of 20,000 as of yesterday. Rescuers are continuing their frantic search for survivors amid the rubble.

Firat said he feels tremendous guilt laying his head down to sleep at night knowing that his parents are suffering back home.

The 21-year-old added that residents of the area are struggling to eat due to the stench of death in the air.

Rather than give in to the heartbreak, Firat has taken a proactive approach to helping Turkish citizens. Yesterday, he played his part in a major fundraising drive to get aid to earthquake survivors.

Nosta Restaurant was also involved in efforts that saw a shipment of aid leave from Drinan St yesterday for the Turkish Embassy.

The aid, which includes everything from baby supplies to canned foods and sanitary products, was due to leave for the country this morning.

Firat spoke of the anguish of not knowing whether his parents were alive.

“I have never experienced such a bad feeling,” he said. “For two days I didn’t know what had happened to my parents. 

"I didn’t sleep or eat. As soon as I heard my mum’s voice on the phone, I didn’t want any more from the world. She was OK, and that was enough for me.”

The barber and trained chef revealed how the earthquake changed his perspective.

Firat is still coming to terms with the trauma.

“One of my primary school teachers died with his daughter, who was around three or four years old,” he said.

“He taught me English and was a lovely person, a sweetheart. We have also lost some neighbours and relatives.”

The Turkish native said he is struggling to sleep at night.

“At the moment nobody is getting into their home because the aftershocks are happening,” he said.

“People are either sleeping on the streets or in their cars. The weather is really cold and people are at risk of hypothermia because it is so cold. They don’t know what to do. Only my mum’s house is OK. Every time I close my eyes, I feel it. I put my head down on my pillow and I feel it. I don’t deserve to be in this position when my family at home are sleeping in their cars.

“Every time I speak to my parents I am trying to distract them. Even my dad, who is a tough guy, is traumatised. I don’t think they realise the extent of how bad this is, and I don’t want to make them feel any worse. I am working as hard as I possibly can so I can send money back home. That is all I can do.”