Turkey-Syria earthquakes: How Indianapolis residents can help

Cheryl V. Jackson, Indianapolis Star
·2 min read

Relief efforts in Indianapolis are underway to help victims of this week’s powerful earthquakes that shook Turkey and Syria, among the most devastating and deadliest quakes in recent history.

The death toll surpassed 19,000 across the two countries Thursday, making the quakes the deadliest seen worldwide in more than a decade. Many are still trapped under the rubble.

“It is going to be not only one day or two weeks of activity. It’s going to be a long, long time,” said Nilgun Ozsoy, president of the Indiana-American Turkish Association-Together Universal Responsible Kind (In-Ataturk), a non-profit launched in 2018.

Earthquake victim Arife Koc (68) was evacuated alive by rescue teams, some 80 hours after the earthquake on Feb. 9, 2023, in Elbistan, Turkey. A 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit near Gaziantep, Turkey, in the early hours of Monday, followed by another 7.5-magnitude tremor just after midday. The quakes caused widespread destruction in southern Turkey and northern Syria and were felt in nearby countries.

The group on Monday began collecting money as well as clothing and other items to ship to Turkey, which has declared a fourth-level alert state, including an international call for help.

Impacted areas are experiencing harsh winter conditions.

The nonprofit is working with the Turkish consulate in Chicago to get the goods to the country through Turkish Airlines.

What people in Syria and Turkey need after the earthquake:

  • Winter clothing for adults and children

  • Coats and raincoats

  • Boots

  • Underwear and socks

  • Sleeping bags

  • Tents

  • Blankets

  • Diapers

  • Medical supplies and first aid kits

  • Feminine hygiene products

  • Baby formula and bottles

  • Flashlights power banks and generators

  • Food, including canned goods that don’t require openers for access

The items don’t have to be new, but should be in good condition, Ozsoy said.

Monetary contributions to the recovery can be made through PayPal at paypal.com/us/fundraiser/charity/3491429. Those without PayPal accounts can use credit cards to donate at https://bit.ly/40G74oZ.

For more information, visit inataturk.org or contact inataturk2018@gmail.com.

The Bosphorus Istanbul Cafe, 935 S. East St., also is helping the assistance by providing diners a QR code that links directly to the Red Cross in Turkey to make monetary donations.

“A lot of people were texting me and telling me about their feelings and prayers and I thought if I give this kind of option, we can help more people,” said owner Orhan Demirtas, who has family in Turkey, but far from the affected area. “So many people have lost their family houses and everything.”

A magnitude 7.8 quake struck at 4:17 a.m. local time Monday in the southern Turkish province of Kahramanmaras, U.S. Geological Survey said. Hours later, a 7.5 magnitude quake hit more than 60 miles away. Scores of violent aftershocks followed both quakes and continued into Tuesday.

More than 6,000 buildings were toppled. In addition to the climbing death toll, tens of thousands of injuries have been reported. Rescue workers from around the world were on the ground this week searching through debris for signs of life – but amid the widespread damage, relief still struggled to reach some devastated towns.

USA Today contributed to this report.Contact IndyStar reporter Cheryl V. Jackson at cheryl.jackson@indystar.com or 317-444-6264. Follow her on Twitter:@cherylvjackson.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Turkey-Syria earthquakes: How Indianapolis residents can help