Vibecke Jægersen Reigstad woke up Monday night shaking in her apartment in Alanya. Immediately, she understood that it was an earthquake, but then could not guess the magnitude.
Although Alanya is far from the earthquake’s epicenter in the small town of Pazarcik, the building shook for almost seven minutes. According to the American earthquake center USGS, the earthquake had a magnitude of 7.8.
– You don’t think it’s true
Traveled to Disaster City
Reigstad’s roommate, Yilmaz, comes from Adiyaman, which was hit hard by the disaster. Shortly after the earthquake, he received a phone call from a friend in the same place, who quickly decided to leave. When Yilmaz couldn’t join his family back home, the choice was easy – he left too.
ADIYAMAN: Yilmaz’s hometown was hit with heavy destruction following a powerful earthquake on Monday. Photo: Private
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– It is heavy. I can’t even imagine how he feels. It’s tough, says Reigstad, who is left alone in the Alanya flat, knowing his roommate will be helping with the demanding salvage work in his hometown.
scary warning
The earthquake is described as the biggest disaster since 1939 and caused enormous destruction and suffering. So far more than 9,500 people have been confirmed dead and it is feared that an unknown number of people are under the ruins of collapsed buildings.
Mate salvaged from the ruins
After almost a day of travel, Yilmaz and his friends finally arrived on Tuesday morning. The trip would normally take about ten hours, but due to the extensive destruction on the road, the trip became difficult.
– The sight that met them is absolutely horrible, says Reigstad.
According to the roommate, the city is completely destroyed. It depicts a city where almost no buildings are standing. Everything collapsed. Around them lie dead and animals. He himself saw his best friend emerge from the ruins, unscathed.
– COMPLETELY TERRIBLE: Reigstad fully understands that his girlfriend traveled to his hometown because he couldn’t contact her family. But she admits to being anxious. Photo: Private
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The friend he was traveling with must have learned on the way that his sister and four children had died. Yilmaz has lost three family members, according to Reigstad.
– It’s terribly heavy, she said.
Anxious for girlfriend
She herself fully understands that her partner is gone, but admits that it is unpleasant.
– I think it’s absolutely awful. I didn’t want him to leave. There are aftershocks all the time, and they really work with life as an effort.
According to the famous newspaper Nature if the number of replicates was greater than 200.
Crying in despair from the ruins
Everything in Adiyaman is closed and much of the infrastructure is destroyed. The power goes out and Reigstad doesn’t know how long it will be before she sees her boyfriend again. But amidst all this tragedy, it’s heartwarming to see the tremendous joy in giving, Reigstad says.
She says that the roommate’s parents had to set up a tent in the chicken coop, and make a fire to keep warm.
