February 8, 2023
People are desperate. We are desperate too. We will do what we can for the people as long as we are able to do it.
Restaurant owner Mevlut Ercan, who began serving food to his community in Turkey after a destructive 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck parts of Turkey and Syria on Monday.
Why It Matters: A 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit a large portion of Turkey and neighboring Syria on Monday morning and was followed by another 7.5 magnitude earthquake in the afternoon (along with many aftershocks). More than 20,000 people have died across the impacted areas and rescues remain ongoing amidst abnormally cold weather. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has declared a three-month state of emergency in the 10 provinces impacted by the quake "to ensure that [rescue and recovery] operations are carried out rapidly." The quake has caused a growing humanitarian crisis, particularly in Syria due to an ongoing civil war and "already-dire" conditions which has complicated rescue efforts.
Wreckage, rescue and hope in Turkey’s earthquake epicenter (The Associated Press)
by Jenna Lee,
