Emotional trauma and fears are a daily struggle after disaster that killed about 60,000 people
A Syrian father who survived last year’s deadly earthquake in Turkey said he now keeps bottles of water next to his bed in case disaster strikes again.
A 7.8-magnitude earthquake caused widespread devastation on February 6 last year, killing about 60,000 people in Turkey and neighbouring Syria.
The quake was soon followed by a second one of similar strength, with a series of aftershocks. Thousands of homes were destroyed while the UN said crops, livestock and fisheries were heavily damaged.
Mohammed Jaafar, 46, and his family survived the quake even though their home in Antakya, southern Turkey, was badly damaged.
Mr Jaafar, who has two children aged six and eight, said he is still haunted by the calamity 12 months on.
“We are all affected mentally after what we have seen, Mr Jaafar told The National.
“I always go to sleep with enough bottles of water near my bed as a survival technique if the apartment collapses during another earthquake. A lot of earthquake survivors said water was enough for them to stay alive for days until they were rescued from the debris.”
Mr Jaafar led his wife and children outside of their groundfloor apartment in the 11storey building to seek help while buildings crumbled around them.
Mr Jaafar said the family spent days sleeping in their car after the quake as it was not safe to return to their home.
They later moved to Gaziantep where his brother, sister, and other family members were living.
“I rented a studio for my family. We are still afraid of new earthquakes. We are sleeping together away from closets or any heavy objects to avoid them collapsing on us if another major earthquake happens,” he added.
While Turkey rebuilds, the emotional wounds endured by millions remain.
“I’m still sleeping with fear and anxiety thinking something bad will happen to us
while we’re sleeping,” Mr Jaafar said. He said he has been under so much stress that he has started smoking again. He had given up the habit before the earthquake.
“I managed to stop after years of smoking, but now I’m smoking due to anxiety,” he said.
Mr Jaafar visited his apartment a few months ago and said that it was unrecognisable.
“I could not identify my building as it was completely demolished, along with all the other buildings in the neighbourhood. It was just piles of rubble in front of me,” he said.
“I was only able to locate the building by a nearby school which has remained untouched.”Mr Jaafar said communities are living in the area in caravans.
Government entities are also operating from caravans with some providing basic needs for residents who decided to stay after the quake.
“There are still some houses and a few people but all you can see is vast land which used to be buzzing with people a year ago,” he said. He said his family were given rent support by the government.
“The government support was extended for another year but rent prices have increased due to high demand.
“I [just about] managed to get a studio for my family on the fifth floor or a building at Gaziantep,” he said.
Mr Jaafar, who works with a non-governmental group, said he is still searching for a more suitable home for his family, preferably on the ground floor. “It is a hard task as the options are limited due to the high demand of people who have migrated to the city seeking shelter,” he said.
He added that his family are trying to adjust to their new life in Gaziantep and his children have already enrolled in the local school.
But, he says it will take time before they feel at home in their new environment.
“I feel like I’m not stable or settled yet,” Mr Jaafar said.
“The earthquake changed our lives.”