Montrealers rush to collect donations for Turkey, Syria as earthquake death toll climbs

As the death toll from Monday's earthquake in Turkey and Syria continues to rise, people in the Montreal area are coming together to help those in need.

Among them is Baris Baydar, who is lending his truck to help gather donations here, but he wishes he could go there to help pull people from the rubble and assist the injured and unhoused.
 
"I am feeling very sad," Bayder said. "Unfortunately, this is the best we can do at the moment."

Bayder said his family is in Istanbul and is safe. He said he personally doesn't know anyone who is missing, but he still worries about all those suffering.

With hope of finding survivors fading, rescue teams in Turkey and Syria were still searching Wednesday for signs of life in the rubble of thousands of buildings toppled by the world's deadliest earthquake in more than a decade.

The 7.8-magnitude earthquake's death toll was approaching 12,000 as Bayder helped load donations into his truck, and he said he plans to keep volunteering for as long as needed.

"There are a lot of people still under those buildings and there's some villages they didn't reach yet," said Gokhan Kurtoglu, head of Turquebec, a Turkish cultural association in Montreal.

He said organizers have been in touch with airlines heading to Istanbul to figure out how to ship goods, using up all the available cargo space. The first flight was headed out Wednesday, others are planned for Friday and Sunday — each plane loaded with as much as they can send.

Collecting donations

Turquebec will continue collecting donations for as long as needed. Volunteers are working eight to 10 hours a day, collecting donations and ensuring they are flown overseas. Along with warm clothing, Kurtoglu said, they are sending toiletries and nonperishable food.

Kurtoglu said the organization is still working to understand what donations are needed. It may be medical supplies next or more food. Community leaders and volunteers are co-ordinating efforts not just in Quebec, but across Canada — setting up collecting centres at different locations so Canadians can drop off donations.

The people need help over there, he said, and he encourages everybody to give.

"There are no services. There's no gas and there's water shortages. It's terrible and we are feeling very bad here," said Kurtoglu.

"This is very painful.The death toll is getting bigger and bigger."

International Development Minister Harjit Sajjan announced this week that the federal government will provide an initial $10 million in aid to Turkey and Syria following the earthquake.

Giving as much as possible

Cesur Celik, a Montrealer from Turkey, brought a lot of coats, socks and children's clothing to donate along with gloves and hats to support Turquebec's collection efforts.

"People who are affected are not limited to those under the rubble," said Celik, noting 10 cities — some also dealing with snow and rain — were hit by the earthquake.

"All these people are homeless now. They have nowhere to go."

Dilek Aydincioglu has been helping out. She said the first donation package she opened was full of baby clothes.

"I started crying, of course," she said. "It's emotional."

Aydincioglu is hoping some of these items make it to Syria as well. She said it isn't her first time helping with earthquake relief efforts. She was in Istanbul in 1999 and, she said, she knows first-hand how disturbing it can be as she was in the field working to help.

"For me, there are no borders," she said. "We are here to help people as much as we can. And we are getting lots and lots of help from our Canadian friends. We appreciate that. It's a humanitarian situation."

To inquire about donating, contact Turquebec through the organization's website.