A few days ago, news of an earthquake in Turkey and Syria shocked the globe. The devastation left by the natural disaster has left many in fear and mourning for those affected. Unfortunately, the scare isn’t over yet.
Many are still facing the aftermath of the disaster. Among those are thirteen fellow Malaysians. For one reason or another, they were in the Kahramanmaraş province in Turkey when the quakes hit. One Malaysian has since reached out to share how his family is faring in light of everything.
Nik Mohd Dhiya’ had been sleeping with his family on 6th February when the earthquake hit. Like many others, they were shaken from their sleep at four in the morning to the shaking earth and the sounds of buildings crashing and people crying. Luckily, the family had enough time to gather important items before they left. “Thank God our house did not collapse. There were only many cracks,” Dhiya’ shared in his Facebook post.
However, the quake left them homeless and stranded at a bus station. Dhiya’ stated that the authorities refused to let them return home as their homes were at risk of collapsing. To make matters worse, the city came under lockdown as authorities attempted to bring order to the chaos.
Unavoidable aftershocks did not help the situation as many panicked when they felt the ground shake again. “We were at the surau when people screamed like they were possessed because (they were) traumatised despite it being a small shake.” Thankfully, Dhiya’ added that there have not been any aftershocks since 8pm yesterday (7th February).
Dhiya’ also shared that he and his family were able to get a flight to Sakarya where his mother-in-law lives. They were fortunate enough to secure promotional tickets, which saved them a bit of money. Dhiya’s current plan is to reside with his mother-in-law temporarily while the family recollects themselves.
However, they apparently do not have plans to leave Turkey. Dhiya’ added that they will be searching for a new and hopefully safe place to live soon. “We will still be residing here as my wife is still working with the government here,” he wrote. “This is our third year in Şanlıurfa.”
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs (Malaysia) Mohamad Alamin has reportedly stated that they are doing what they can to bring the Malaysians home. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is currently working with the Malaysian Embassy in Ankara and the Malaysian Consulate in Istanbul to monitor the group. Mohamad Alamin has also reassured that they are safe.
Our hearts and prayers go out to all those affected by the disaster. We sincerely hope and pray that God will be with them through everything.
