Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Friday, Aug 22, 2025

Turkey-Syria earthquake: Anger and frustration as search for trapped relatives continues - 'we're being left to die'

Turkey-Syria earthquake: Anger and frustration as search for trapped relatives continues - 'we're being left to die'

Along with all the grief and sadness being felt, there is anger that more is not being done in the rescue effort, with many directing their blame at the Turkish government.

The people of Antakya are not only desperate, there is real anger here too.

"We are being left to die," shouted one woman as residents used their bare hands to move rubble and rocks.

We saw others using hammers and pickaxes, any tools they could lay their hands on to try to reach relatives they say are buried below and who may just be alive.

Another woman, Cagla Ezer, sobbed as she revealed she'd heard her brother calling out for help. She said he was calling out his name and begging for help.

"There were 25 people in that building alone," she said pointing at a pancaked apartment block. "I tried to call AFAD [Turkey's emergency co-ordination group] but no one came."


A short distance away a string of people were crawling through the smashed window of a supermarket door and loading shopping trolleys full of goods.

Many carted food, chocolate bars, ready-made meals and snacks - but we saw one man carrying out a new television.

Others crawled out with big packs of toilet rolls. "We are hungry," one young man told us, "and no one is helping us".


It is a common theme here with resident after resident remonstrating with us about what they perceive to be the government's lack of action here.

The Hatay mayor is from the main opposition party and has been vocally critical of government policies in the past, mentioning in the weeks before the earthquakes that the area was not well enough prepared for a disaster such as this.

Now the residents repeatedly told us they feel abandoned and let down by their government.


One resident who called himself Tahir said he'd travelled non-stop back from Bulgaria to help out with the relief effort.

He was shocked at how little organised emergency work there is in Hatay.

"People here are angry," he said. "We don't need words - we need help!"

Women wept next to him out of sadness, grief but also frustration. "They'll be here soon enough when there's an election," one of the men shifting rubble told us.


An election has been called by President Erdogan for 14 May in the midst of soaring inflation and global economic woes and is predicted to be one of the closest in years.

Hatay has a large refugee population and its proximity to Syria has seen many flee over the border to seek refuge here.

There are pockets of poverty everywhere here and many of the buildings are old. "Why weren't the buildings better constructed?" Tahir asked us. "Why have we put money before life?"

Several fault lines run through Turkey and Syria


There have been glimmers of hope. We saw a small baby being rushed to a waiting ambulance, drip attached and minutes later her mother, neck brace on and moaning softly, also being stretchered to safety.

But those moments have been far outweighed by the heartache of seeing groups burst into tears and howl in grief as body after body is pulled out and laid on top of the rubble which came crashing down on top of them.

Among them have been the very young - children whose lives ended far too early and with brutal abruptness.


Yet even as the region entered its second day after what's described as Turkey's worst earthquake disaster in a century, and amid continuing tremors and aftershocks, relatives clung desperately to even the smallest of small hopes that their loved ones may somehow be alive.

Every now and then, a rescuer will call for quiet and the crowd of onlookers, friends and relatives stand silently, their ears aching to hear even the weakest of cries.

"We've heard him. Yes, yes, yes, we've heard him," Cagla said of her brother.

But the tears rolling down her cheeks indicated her realisation that while hope is still plentiful, time is very much in short supply.


Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Cristiano Ronaldo Makes Surprise Stop at New Hong Kong Museum
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
High-Stakes Trump-Putin Summit on Ukraine Underway in Alaska
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Nine people have been hospitalized and dozens of salmonella cases have been reported after an outbreak of infections linked to certain brands of pistachios and pistachio-containing products, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
Tariffs, AI, and the Shifting U.S. Macro Landscape: Navigating a New Economic Regime
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
×