San Francisco, CA
Vigil for earthquake victims and pleas for relief
Vigil for earthquake victims and pleas for aid
A candlelight vigil at San Francisco’s Union Sq. honored the victims of the devastating earthquake in Turkiye and Syria.
SAN FRANCISCO – A candlelight vigil at San Francisco’s Union Sq. honored the victims of the devastating earthquake in Turkiye and Syria.
“Time is actually pressing now to assist survivors and people who find themselves nonetheless within the rubble. But in addition support is actually wanted to those that are injured,” stated Anas Abou-Ismail with the American Coalition for Syria.
“They really simply dug out my uncle yesterday and his spouse,” stated Heba Masri. “It’s nonetheless actually, actually laborious seeing the images now figuring out some individuals are nonetheless down there.”
Maya Fallaha shared an image of her 10-year-old cousin who was killed when his residence collapsed. Fallaha stated the boy’s father, who can be her cousin, was in a position to get the youthful youngsters out of the house. His spouse additionally died within the collapse.
On this video seize from AFP TV taken on February 6, 2023, rescuers seek for victims of a 7.8-magnitude earthquake that hit Diyarbakir, in southeastern Turkey. (Photograph by MAHMUT BOZARSLAN/AFPTV/AFP through Getty Photographs)
“The ten-year-old son was nonetheless behind him because the constructing was collapsing. In order that they had been nonetheless beneath the rubble. He was hopeful that rescue staff would be capable of get to them, however that didn’t occur.”
Fallaha stated her members of the family have been displaced quite a few instances, and other people have been left with out shelter in sub-freezing circumstances. She urged folks to help the White Helmets, who’re on the frontlines of earthquake catastrophe aid in Syria.
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“They had been the primary responders in northwestern Syria. They saved lives from beneath the rubble. If that they had extra equipment and extra sources to achieve extra folks, I believe extra folks can be alive as we speak,” stated Fallaha.
The dying toll from the 7.8 quake has now risen to greater than 28,000 in Turkiye and Syria. Volunteers say they hope the worldwide neighborhood will step up. They encourage donating to disaster help on the bottom and need the U.S. to arrange deliveries of medical and heat shelter tools for many who have misplaced their houses.
“We’re speaking about individuals who have misplaced every thing. From their houses to their members of the family to their total livelihoods,” stated Fallaha.
They name the state of affairs in Northwestern Syria a long-term disaster – one which began even earlier than the earthquake.
“This neighborhood was already ravished by 12 years of warfare and continued bombings by each Russia and the Assad regime, and now this fully annihilated no matter infrastructure was left,” stated Abou-Ismail.