Survivors gather among rubble in Turkey’s quake region to commemorate first anniversary

Duvar English

As the clock struck 04.17 on Feb. 6, survivors of the earthquakes that hit southeastern Turkey one year ago gathered around the rubble to commemorate their lost relatives.

The earthquakes of 7.7 magnitude at 04.17 in the Pazarcık district of Kahramanmaraş and 7.6 magnitude at 13.24 in the Elbistan district caused great destruction. More than 53,500 people lost their lives and 107,000 people were injured in 11 provinces affected by the tremors.

Kahramanmaraş: ‘Can anyone hear my voice?’

In Kahramanmaraş, the epicenter of the earthquakes, a commemoration event was held in front of Ebrar Building Complex, where approximately 1,400 people lost their lives.

Caravans were set up in front of the site where the rubble of the destroyed buildings used to be located and a big fire was lit. Civil society organizations and relatives of those who lost their lives on the site participated in the commemoration ceremony.

Some earthquake victims attended the event with the photographs of their relatives they lost and prayers were recited when the clocks hit 04.17. The survivors often shouted, "Can anyone hear my voice,” as they did one year ago while trying to reach out to their relatives trapped under rubble.

Adıyaman: ‘I will not leave my hometown’

In quake-torn Adıyaman, a silent march was organized with the participation of quake survivors.

The people of the region marched with banners reading "Can anyone hear my voice" and "I will not leave my hometown."

Many gathered around the city's famous clock tower, which still shows 04.17 as it did stop when the earthquakes occurred.

Adana: ‘Our grief, anger are great’

Those who lost their lives in Adana were commemorated in the areas where the rubble of the 13 collapsed buildings was removed.

Relatives of 96 people who lost their lives in the Alpargün Apartment Complex that collapsed in the earthquake in the Çukurova district organized a commemoration event.

Citizens who came to the area where the rubble of the building was removed opened banners saying "Our lives remained under the rubble," and "Our pain and anger are great.”

Diyarbakır: ‘Loneliness becomes a greater disaster than quakes’

Amed City Protection and Solidarity Platform organized a commemoration in front of Diyarbakır province’s Galeria Building Complex where 89 people lost their lives. Many marched to the rubble of the site and left carnations on the ground.

Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party's Diyarbakır mayoral candidate Doğan Hatun said during the ceremony, "We witnessed loneliness afterward, which is a bigger disaster than the earthquake."

Malatya: Governor bans commemorative events 

Malatya Governor’s Office on Feb. 5 banned all commemorative events except those organized by the public institutions in the province for three days.

Despite the ban, relatives of those who died in the Hayat Apartment Complex and Hakimbey Apartment Complex gathered around the area. The lawmakers from the main opposition Republican People’s Party also attended the ceremonies. 

People also gathered in Hatay, Osmaniye, Şanlıurfa, Gaziantep, Kilis, and Elazığ provinces which were gravely affected by the quakes.