ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The death count continues to climb in Turkey and Syria after a pair of earthquakes hit the countries last week. More than 33,000 people are now dead, as of Sunday afternoon.
Turkey officials are now issuing warrants for contractors allegedly involved in the construction of buildings that have collapsed.
Prosecutors have begun gathering samples of the material used to build those structures.
Officials are hoping to hold accountable anyone who may have caused so many people to lose their lives.
Rescuers continue combing through rubble for survivors. But as time passes, they are turning their efforts towards recovering the bodies of people who had been trapped.
Meanwhile, aid has been pouring in from around the world, including in the United States.
Members of the Turkish Society of Rochester have been working day and night to provide relief for their friends and families overseas.
In the worst of times, the Turkish Society of Rochester has stepped in to help those survive the catastrophe. Clothing, medicine, and supplies have filled a room ready to be packed and shipped out.
“Managing this process from here to New York City and New York City, our consul general office and ambassador office, they have a warehouse,” the president of the Turkish Society of Rochester Nihat Selcuk said. “They have other parties helping their volunteers to do it. So once the items drop off in the New York City's warehouse and they just drop them off shipping out from there immediately, day by day.”
Many of its members have seen the devastation hit too close to home.
“Between me and my husband, we have lost over 100 people so far and we have not been able to receive any news from a lot of my family members,” Turkey native Ayse Maraslioglu said. “We're hoping, praying and trying to keep ourselves busy here [and] trying not to think about it.”
Maraslioglu’s own daughter, Busra, and two grandchildren were caught in the middle of the crisis while visiting their hometown. She has been trying to keep in contact any chance she gets.
“My daughter, her husband and her two kids were on the 13th floor of their building there,” Maraslioglu said. “So grateful that they made it out alive. We're grateful that they made it out alive. They lost everything. They had been sleeping in their car for the past four days, but yesterday they made it out of the city and we got them into our little apartment hotel, and they were able to take their first bath today.”
Maraslioglu felt forever grateful for the outpour of support from not only the Turkish society, but also from the Rochester community.
“I am shocked,” Maraslioglu said. “I didn’t think Rochester was like this. But, once again, they prove me wrong. It's amazing. It's overwhelming. Everybody sees that it affected me, especially with having my child there. They're like, ‘Why are you crying?’ And God, I'm so happy to see all of you guys come in here helping out, bringing stuff [and] donating.' And it's just a feeling that I can't even express. My daughter is so forever grateful.”
Members say they appreciate every contribution provided for their home away from home.
“People got all together, a whole entire community, and they started being with us, calling on us, reaching out to us, helping us,” Selcuk said. “So that makes me feel, my feelings are actually more better now. The Rochester community is a tight community.”