Newport residents give account of earthquake in Turkey

At least 35,000 people have died since the earthquakes struck southern Turkey and northern Syria on Monday, February 6, while UN high commissioner for refugees, Sivanka Dhanapala, warned as many as 5.3 million Syrians have been left homeless.

Mehmet Yapici and Feride Ceceu, who both live in Newport, were both in Adiyaman in south-east Turkey when the quakes hit.

“It was like hell,” said Mr Yapici. “I was absolutely terrified.

“I woke up about 4am. I checked on my kids to see if they were alright and then went back to sleep. The next thing I felt was a big shock. The whole house was shaking.

Feride Cecen and Mehmet Yapici were in Turkey when the devastating earthquakes hit last week. (Image: Newsquest)

Feride Cecen and Mehmet Yapici

“We all thought it would just shake a little and go. It didn’t.

“I went to grab my kids so I could get them out of the house. The whole house was shaking – the windows and doors exploded. I couldn’t get hold of any of my kids. You just couldn’t control your balance. I was thrown from wall to wall.”

“It was like a ship in the sea,” said Mrs Ceceu.

“The sky changed. It was blue – like daylight. This was at 4.15am.”

Continuing, Mr Yapici described it as being "like a horror film".

"People were under buildings, people were crying, children were crying, there was no heating, no electricity, no running water,” he said.

“Since that day I haven’t slept. I cannot believe I got my kids and wife and family out of there. What would’ve happened if I didn’t?

“The people who were under there, they are still under there. After two days, they got help to my city. There are still areas which haven’t had any support.

“I have seen people under the houses and screaming and asking for help. You want to be a hero, but what can you do as one person?

“Most people have died because of the late support. It was between minus six and minus eight degrees. Most of them died from the cold.

“The city is smelling – you can smell the dead bodies from under the buildings.

“For me it will take a long, long time to get over what I have been through.

“I have three kids – aged one, four and five. My son wakes up suddenly and says ‘Come on, the earthquake is happening’.

“We can’t do anything. I feel guilty.”

Feride Cecen's family have had to leave their home in Adiyaman as a result of the earthquake. (Image: Feride Cecen)

“People are staying in their cars,” said Mrs Ceceu. “They are suffering from having no oxygen as it’s so cold that they have to keep their windows up.

“What you see on the news, you think it’s in one place. But it’s not – it’s all the same. Everything is destroyed.

“Now all our family is homeless. The place where I grew up is gone.

“I can’t sleep. If I sleep, I think the same thing will happen.”

Last week, Newport’s Turkish Kurdish community called on the government to allow them to bring their family members to the UK on short-term visas to ensure they are safe – calls that Mr Yapici and Mrs Ceceu have renewed.

“We know we can’t get everyone out. But at least if I can bring my mum and dad over,” said Mr Yapici.

“Now I’m here and my parents are over there. I feel guilty about it.

“We want to do something about it. We want to support them at this difficult time. We want the government to do something about it.

“We don’t want anything from the government – we can share what we have.”

“If we get the visas we can support our families,” said Mrs Ceceu. “If I don’t do anything, I feel guilty.

“My mum is in hospital. She had her house. Now she has nothing, and she’s thousands of miles from my city.”

Newport East MP Jessica Morden met with members of the Turkish Kurdish community last week, and again on Wednesday at Eton Road Community House.

Members of the Turkish Kurdish community in Newport meeting at Eton Road Community House. (Image: Supplied)

“It’s very clear they are keen to be able to help their families,” she said. “I have got in touch with the foreign secretary and home secretary to convey their asks.

“When we are back next week [from recess], I’ll continue to pursue the issues they have raised.

“We need to be supporting them for the weeks and months to come.”

The Disasters Emergency Committee has launched an appeal, with DEC charities and their local partners being on the scene providing aid, treatment and shelter for those who have been affected.