The 7.8 magnitude Kahramanmaras earthquake that shook portions of northwestern Syria and southeastern Turkey on Feb. 6 left a devastating aftermath with global relief efforts underway. 

However, the aftershocks didn’t just rattle the region as the aftermath is hitting close to home for some Redhawks. 

Upon hearing about the earthquake, ESL teacher Zehra Toprak immediately began reaching out to family in Turkey.

“The first few hours were mostly like making sure that our extended family members were okay,” Toprak said. “We tried calling them, and some of them we couldn’t reach. We just went to bed and then it was in the morning that we heard about the destruction.”

After reaching out, Toprak learned that 11 family members had been lost due to the earthquake.

”My husband’s third cousins and their families were under the rubble, and some of them got out safely,” Toprak said. “But they lost 11 family members, which is a big number.”

Growing up in Turkey with lots of friends and family still in the affected area, sophomore Ipek Coskunuzer is concerned for their safety.

“It’s just been really traumatic and stressful because there are still family members and people that are under all the buildings and we’re just like hoping and praying that they do get out safe,” Coskunuzer said. “It’s a  huge loss of your people and you just want to be with them.”

Although Turkey is prone to earthquakes, the Kahramanmaras earthquake is one of the most powerful in the region, which is worrisome for senior Selim Yalcin.

“It’s just horrible. It’s one of the worst. I experienced them when I used to live back there, and it’s worrying cause my grandparents are still there, so it’s scary,” senior Selim Yalcin said. “The second day after the earthquakes around that area, it was told that it would hit another place, which was very scary because that’s where my grandparents live and it’s just really worrying.”

Beyond the loss of family members, Toprak is struggling with her inability to be there and help.

“It was really tragic and it was difficult to just hear and watch the news,” Toprak said. “We are so, so far away, and not being able to be there in person, it definitely puts you under a lot of stress, like you feel guilty, being comfortable here and not being part of all the rescue efforts there.”

It will be months, if not years, before the region begins to recover, but for these Redhawks, it’s too soon to give up on more rescues as several survivors were pulled from the rubble Tuesday. 

“There’s just so many people under the rubble,” Coskunuzer said. “You probably start losing hope because it’s been over 100 hours without food and water. So it’s probably the morale over there I would say is probably, they still have hope.”