'Hopeless and powerless': Torontonians with loved ones in Turkiye, Syria wait for news as earthquake death toll rises
Torontonians with connections to southeast Turkiye and northern Syria have been desperately trying to get in touch with friends and family who may have been killed, injured, or displaced by the powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck the region on Monday.
The quake has left more than 3,400 people dead, and thousands more injured, after it toppled thousands of buildings and trapped residents under mounds of rubble.
Local authorities fear the death toll will keep climbing as rescuers search through tangles of metal and concrete for survivors in a region beset by Syria’s 12-year civil war and a refugee crisis.
Muhammet Yildrim, who lives in Toronto but has many loved ones in the region, says he’s fortunately heard from his family, but is still waiting to hear from a number of his friends.
“Before [we heard their voices], we were hopeless and powerless. We’ve never feel that hopeless before. And when we heard their voices, we got the light back,” Yildrim said.
“It was a hard time to wait here, but we knew the hardest time was for them. They’re waiting under buildings and they're waiting outside with their family.”
Yildrim said he feels lucky that his family wasn’t hurt because he knows others who are still waiting to hear from their loved ones, fearing the worst.
“When I spoke to my friends, I was really sad for them. I have never felt that sad before,” he said.
“Because when you're here, you can’t do anything; you feel helpless. You're just waiting here and there's no way to help them or reach them.”
Yildrim says he’s been trying to get in contact with one of his friends for more than 20 hours. He was able to reach his friend’s family, but they told Yildrim they didn’t know where he was either.
Mert Selvili, a small business owner based in Toronto who previously lived in Turkiye with his family for about 30 years, stressed the importance of understanding the size of the area impacted by the quake.
“The size of the area is like from Niagara to Ottawa; 500 kilometers wide, including 10 cities that all got hit,” Selvili said.
“Right now, over 5,600 buildings have collapsed and these numbers are increasing rapidly.”
Selvili says another factor making rescue efforts even more challenging, is the cold winter temperatures gripping the region.
“It's very cold outside and many people are just stuck in the wreckage. And people are trying to access to the cities but unfortunately, roads and highways are damaged,” Selvili said.
“Right now Turkiye is racing [against] time to save people because of the conditions. The major concern is hypothermia.”
Selvili says his family in Turkiye lives in Istanbul and was luckily unaffected by the quake, however he too has friends in the country’s southeast that he still hasn’t heard from.
“We have some friends that we couldn't get any news about. My wife's cousin lives in Gaziantep, one of the cities that was affected,” he said.
Yildrim said that for those injured in the quake, it’s nearly impossible to find hospitals able to provide medical care, since they were among the buildings that were brought down.
“When I talked with my friends, they [said they] tried to get their family to the hospital, but when they went there, [it was] down. They just saw the hospital's gone and they don't know what to do,” he said.
Yildrim said he and some of his friends in Toronto are trying to get supplies like carpets and beds together to send to the region, along with money to help those in need.
Earlier today, Mayor John Tory tweeted a message of support for those affected on behalf of Torontonians, saying, “Our thoughts are with those impacted by the devastating earthquake.”
The Toronto sign outside City Hall will be dimmed this evening to honour those who have lost their lives, and the CN Tower will dim its lights for 5 minutes at the top of each hour.
Federal Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also tweeted messages to the people of Turkiye and Syria, saying their thoughts were with those affected.
Trudeau added that “Canada stands ready to provide assistance.”
With files from The Canadian Press.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Manitoba mom praises quick-thinking fire department for freeing daughter stuck in playground equipment
A Manitoba mother is praising firefighters for their quick work in helping her daughter who got stuck at a playground in Lorette, Man.