'Buildings are broken': Calgary man in Turkiye describes disaster scene post-earthquake
'Buildings are broken': Calgary man in Turkiye describes disaster scene post-earthquake
Calgarians at home and abroad are reeling in the wake of a massive earthquake that struck a war-torn region near the border of Turkiye and Syria.
In the early morning hours on Monday, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck a region near the border between the two nations, killing more than 2,500 people and injuring thousands. Officials fear that death toll could climb much higher given thousands of buildings have been destroyed and many residents are likely trapped underneath the rubble.
Abdulfatah Sabouni, a Calgary business owner who moved to Canada from Aleppo, Syria, several years ago, is currently in the Turkish city of Gaziantep – 120 kilometres from Aleppo.
"At 4 a.m., I was in a hotel and I felt the building moving – it was really strong," he said. "It was around three minutes.
"After that, I went out and about 20 minutes later, the shocks began."
He told CTV News the devastation in the region is difficult to put into words.
"A lot of buildings are broken and there are a lot of people under the buildings as well," he said.
Sabouni says there is a lot of anxiety right now among the survivors.
"People aren't sleeping because nobody knows what is going on," he said.
"I'm worried and the people are worried – they can't go back to their homes right now."
He says there have been earthquakes in Turkiye before, but this time is "different."
"It doesn't happen like that," Sabouni said, adding the cold weather is also a problem for people.
CALGARY FAMILY LOST 20 RELATIVES IN EARTHQUAKE
While the images of the devastation are hard to fathom from those on the ground, others who are left watching from abroad say they are heartbroken.
Adel Ghanam told CTV News he hasn't slept since hearing the news of the earthquake and is anxious to hear from any relatives who are still alive.
"I already heard from (my brother) and they are safe," he said. "My mom and my brother, they are still OK, but I lost like around maybe more than 20 or more cousins and a nephew from my family."
He says his relatives have been living with war raging nearby for years, but a situation like an earthquake is different.
"We have tried to be safe, but it came at four o'clock in the morning – everybody is asleep. So that's the hardest time. I mean, you can't do anything."
Adel's family in Calgary is also finding the situation very difficult, especially since they're so far away.
"(It) reminds me that there's nothing I can do from here," said Adel's daughter Riham.
"You just feel helpless."
Riham says her father is taking the situation particularly hard, given that he hasn't been able to make contact with other members of the family, including his mother.
She says her grandmother is OK, but it's still "really, really heartbreaking."
"You can't do anything about it. You just feel sorry that they're going through this."
Riham says the living conditions in the affected region have been difficult for many years and there aren't many resources to help the victims.
"There's no one to help," she said. "Neighbours are the ones who are trying to pull their neighbours out."
Whole families have been devastated, Riham says, and many victims are in "desperate need of help."
"We need people to at least know. People outside and inside of Syria who still don't know if some family member is still alive.
"It's still not OK, back in Syria. People really do need help. Emotionally they're, I mean, they're way down."
For now, with so little information coming out of the disaster zone, Adel says they can only pray for the victims of the earthquake.
"I want everybody to pray, like to pray for Syria – to pray for us to pray for those people."
NO DETAILS ON CANADIAN VICTIMS
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canada "stands ready to help" the survivors, pledging support for the thousands affected by the disaster in the region.
The Conservative Party said it would also support any effort by the government to provide assistance.
Global Affairs Canada did not immediately respond to requests for comment Monday about whether any Canadians were affected.
Officials say major aftershocks also struck near the centre of the quake, in Turkiye's southeastern province of Kahramanmaras, which was felt from as far away as Cairo, Egypt.
The natural disaster is the latest incident of devastating hardship on both countries, where Syria is still wracked by civil war and Turkiye is housing millions of refugees who fled from that conflict.
The region in Turkiye hit by the earthquake sits on top of major fault lines and is frequently shaken by earthquakes. Some 18,000 people were killed in similarly powerful earthquakes that hit northwest Turkiye in 1999.
In Calgary, the Turkish-Canadian Cultural Association will be setting up a GoFundMe campaign to gather funds to help with the relief effort.
The Canadian Red Cross has also launched a nationwide campaign for Canadians to use to support the victims.
(With files from the Canadian Press and Associated Press)
As Joe Biden makes his first trip to Canada as president of the United States, CTVNews.ca is offering live coverage of the leader's visit. Follow our live blog on CTVNews.ca and the CTV News app for the latest updates.
U.S. President Joe Biden has made it to Canada, as part of his first official visit since taking office. Alongside Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Biden will be meeting with top officials and addressing Parliament in an effort to reaffirm the strength of the Canada-U.S. relationship.
Ontario’s self-described crypto king was allegedly abducted, tortured, and beaten for days as his kidnappers looked to solicit millions in ransom, his father told a court in December.
W5 investigates aging asbestos pipes across Canada and the potential health hazards if it ends up in your tap water. Watch W5's 'Something in the Water' Saturday at 7 p.m. on CTV.
An Ontario couple has filed a request with the Office of the Independent Police Review Director (OIPRD) to appoint a new police force to investigate the death of their 17-year-old son Benjamin, who died during a hockey team-bonding event in September 2019.
Canada's restaurant industry is bracing for the biggest jump in the country's alcohol excise duty in more than 40 years, spurring warnings the tax hike could force some bars and restaurants out of business.
The idea of using firing squads is making a comeback in the U.S. Idaho lawmakers passed a bill this week seeking to add the state to the list of those authorizing firing squads, currently Mississippi, Utah, Oklahoma and South Carolina.
The United States' first lady will be given a sweeping introduction to Canadian sports culture in Ottawa today as Sophie Gregoire Trudeau takes Jill Biden to the curling rink.
Beaumont RCMP are advising the public that officers are currently on scene at École Secondaire Beaumont Composite High School after a threat was made against the school online.
The Alberta Energy Regulator has cited an energy company for causing a series of earthquakes, including the largest recorded tremblor in the province's history.
U.S. President Joe Biden has made it to Canada, as part of his first official visit since taking office. Alongside Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Biden will be meeting with top officials and addressing Parliament in an effort to reaffirm the strength of the Canada-U.S. relationship.
A series of ancient landslides have been “reawakened” in British Columbia's Cariboo region, costing hundreds of millions in federal disaster assistance funds and prompting warnings that logging is connected to the problem.
The Tim Houston PC government remains firm in their promise they'll fix the health-care system by spending more taxpayer money on health than any previous government before.
A first-of-its kind study in British Columbia suggests salmon hatcheries could improve survival rates by optimizing the weight of the juvenile fish and the timing of their release.
A Victoria man’s life of crime has turned into one of survival, hope and advocacy amid ongoing conversations in the community about how best to tackle public safety matters.
Ontario’s self-described crypto king was allegedly abducted, tortured, and beaten for days as his kidnappers looked to solicit millions in ransom, his father told a court in December.
Toronto Coun. Josh Matlow broke council’s code of conduct by criticizing two public employees on Twitter before retaliating against one of them after she filed a complaint, the city’s integrity commissioner has found.
With fares set to increase in a matter of days, a new report has found that Torontonians are already paying more than residents in most other cities for transit when compared to average incomes.
Canada and the United States are negotiating a deal that could see asylum seekers turned back at irregular border crossings across the border, including Roxham Road in Quebec.
For the first time, the owner of a building in Old Montreal has responded to questions about the fire — through his lawyer — addressing allegations that the building was unsafe.
Montreal police say they don't think they'll find more than seven bodies in the rubble of an Old Montreal building that caught fire eight days ago. Police told reporters today they don't have reports of more people missing, adding that it's "improbable" there are more than seven victims.
Ottawa residents are being told to expect road closures, transit delays and heightened security in the downtown core today, as U.S. President Joe Biden continues his visit to the capital. Here's what you need to know about Biden's second day in Ottawa.
U.S. President Joe Biden has made it to Canada, as part of his first official visit since taking office. Alongside Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Biden will be meeting with top officials and addressing Parliament in an effort to reaffirm the strength of the Canada-U.S. relationship.
An uncommon phenomenon lit up the skies across southern Ontario on Thursday night, including in Waterloo region where the aurora borealis – also known as the northern lights - shone bright enough to see with the naked eye.
The ‘Catch the Ace’ jackpot is still up for grabs in Hagersville. There was no winner Thursday night so the total prize money is now an estimated $1,526,067.
Ontario’s self-described crypto king was allegedly abducted, tortured, and beaten for days as his kidnappers looked to solicit millions in ransom, his father told a court in December.
An alleged victim of a former staff member of Legacy Christian Academy can now be identified after she successfully petitioned in court to have a publication ban lifted.
In the weeks leading up to Wednesday’s provincial budget, school divisions in Saskatchewan were expecting funding levels to increase, with the province repeatedly touting its $1 billion surplus.
Ontario’s self-described crypto king was allegedly abducted, tortured, and beaten for days as his kidnappers looked to solicit millions in ransom, his father told a court in December.
Manitoba’s labour force is growing at a rate to supply enough workers for available positions into 2026, according to the province’s labour market outlook.
Canada's restaurant industry is bracing for the biggest jump in the country's alcohol excise duty in more than 40 years, spurring warnings the tax hike could force some bars and restaurants out of business.
A recent report from the province’s privacy commissioner says the Métis Addictions Council of Saskatchewan Inc. (MACSI) failed to take appropriate steps after patient treatment files were discovered in a recycling bin.
