After the earthquake of 6.8 that occurred on January 24 at 8.55 pm in Elazığ, the suffering of the citizens still continue. Wreck removal works have begun in Sürsürü and Mustafa Paşa neighborhoods which are most affected by the earthquake after the research and rescue of the citizens under the wreck of 3 collapsed  buildings was completed. Until now, 41 citizens are announced to be death due to the earthquake as 1607 citizens are wounded. 

 

Under the thread of the aftershock earthquakes and the collapse risk of their houses, citizens are still not able to get in their homes back. The problem of heating is also an issue due to the minus degrees in the region. Many villages in Sivrice that is the epicenter of the earthquake are highly affected by the earthquake as well as the Elazığ city center. Earthquake resulted in serious damage and collapse in these villages.

 

 

PERMANENT SOLLUTION SHALL BE FOUND

 

The accommodation in the earthquake-struck houses in the villages have become unavailable. A vast number of villages including Duygulu and Tarlatepe zones which are the neihgbors of Malatya city border are highly damaged due to the earthquake. No building is reported to be damaged in Duygulu village of 50-houses, but all houses are now observed as heavily damaged. Walls with macro fractures make it impossible for the citizens to go back to their homes. Citizens, now accommodating in the tents distributed by AFAD (The Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency), are complaining about the problem of heating due to the cold in the region now measured under zero degree. Villagers ask for a permanent solution from the authorities. 

 

 

‘WHEN WE GET IN, THE HOUSE SWINGS’

 

Another village with no collapse but heavy damage is Tarlatepe, which has received no aid until now. Citizens are in urgent demand to end their suffering. Ramazan İndibay, a villager in the 37-houses village, records that they are not able to reside in their homes and adds: “Walls are about to collapse. When we get in, the house swings. We are afraid to get in.”

 

 

NO AID HAS BEEN RECEIVED

 

İndibay continues to report that from the day of the earthquake till now no aid has been received by the villagers: Mobilization of aid has begun, but we have received nothing. No one has knocked our door yet. We are in a very harsh situation here. We wait for the repairmen of our homes, authorities should end our suffering. There was economic crisis already, and now the earthquake strikes us. This is such a misery. We have received no aid at all.”

 

 

‘WE CAME DOWN WITH ILLNESS’

 

Burhan Dengiz who reached Duygulu village for his mother from Istanbul in the evening of the earthquake states that they have no chane to get back in the house due to the damage: “Currently we stay in the tent. We have a heating problem. It is cold and we came down with illness. Almost everyone here is caught cold and now are sick.”

 

 

‘WE CAN NOT RESIDE IN TENTS FOR TOO LONG’

 

Bekir Dengiz who says that they earn their living by the animal breeding and farming, states that they had to leave the village. Underlining that it is under minus 15 degrees outside and their economic status is law, Dengiz says that: “Houses look not so much damaged looked outside. However, the walls inside the homes have already collapsed. The house is almost about to collapse. It is impossible for us to get in. We cannot  reside in the tents for too long. A permanent solution shall be organized as soon as possible.”

 

 

‘SOLDIER BLOCK İN ÇEVRİMTAŞ’

 

Our arrival from Duygulu village to the ÇEvrimtaş village in which all the houses and barns have collapsed was blocked and not allowed by the soldiers waiting in the exit of the village.

 

MA / Mehmet Şah Oruç - Lezgin Akdeniz