Family appeal for Turkey earthquake victims

Images from Hatay, Turkey, via Ozgur Kayaalp.

A Turkish national with connections to Kilcullen has appealed for local help for a family caught in the middle of the recent earthquake tragedy, writes Brian Byrne.

Ozgur Kayaalp, who is married to Bishop Rogan Park resident Pat Kelly's daughter Emma and has lived in Ireland for a number of years described the earthquake moments as relayed by cousins from the city of Adana. The city was rocked by the first shock at 4.17am local time.

"My cousins immediately left their home in their pyjamas and stayed in their car until after sunrise," Ozgur says. "Then at around 10am they went back in to collect clothes and phones and emergency things and left again. They were very lucky to be back on the street, as the second shock at around noon destroyed their building."

His cousins subsequently stayed in a friend's restaurant, 'sleeping on tables and chairs' for several days before relocating to live in an office owned by one of the family.

In the meantime, they have been contacted by other relations in the city of Hatay, 80pc of which was destroyed in the earthquakes. "They have lost everything, their home, their possessions," Ozgur says. "They have had to leave the city, for the sake of their children's mental health. They have found a place that's safe, but they have nothing, no food, no blankets. They called me yesterday to see if I could help."

Although national and international aid is beginning to come through in many areas, it's the immediate needs of individual families in the very cold winter conditions that are the personal stories of the tragedy. "At this point, it's about families helping families," Ozgur says. He works for a Dublin-based global social media company and has been collecting funds at his workplace for this family from Hatay. If anyone wants to help, Ozgur's phone number is 083 8264443, or contact Pat Kelly. (Phone number has been corrected from a previous mistyped one.)

Meantime, a Coffee Morning and Cake Sale organised by Kilcullen Lions to raise funds towards the international earthquake relief effort is being held on Saturday morning next in the Town Hall. All donations welcome.

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