MEDİNE MAMEDOĞLU

 Semsûr (Adıyaman)- Nine months have passed since two devastating earthquakes struck Turkey, Northern Kurdistan and Syria on February 6, 2023. The earthquake survivors, who have been left alone for nine months, think how they will survive in winter. In Semsûr, more than 3,000 buildings collapsed in the earthquakes. As excavators keep demolishing damaged buildings, the construction of new buildings has already started in the city. Zeynep Doğa’s 14-year-old daughter died when their building collapsed in the earthquake. Zeynep Doğa has been mourning by wearing black clothing since February 6.

The quake survivors stay in the container city established by AFAD (Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority). Zeynep Doğa (56) was trapped under rubble when their building in the Yeni neighborhood collapsed. She told us that their building was built two years before the earthquakes.

‘Those responsible should not go unpunished’

Her 14-year-old daughter was one of the 32 people, who died under the rubble of the building. After the earthquakes, she learned that some columns of their building had been cut down causing the collapse of the building. “We spent all our savings to buy the flat. We thought that we had a house and everything would be better. But we did not know that that house would be a grave for my daughter. I got out of the rubble myself; however, the dead body of my daughter was pulled from the rubble five hours later. My spouse and other children still receive treatment. Three extra floors were illegally added to our buildings. Who allowed them (contractors) to add extra floors? The state and the municipality allowed them. But no one stands trial today. My daughter died because of them. We did not buy a house but a grave. That building became a grave for 32 people, including my daughter.”

She has been mourning by wearing black clothing for nine months

Zeynep Doğa is a cancer patient and she suffers from the dust released from demolished buildings. “Everywhere is dirty due to the dust. I cannot sleep in the container at night because it is very cold. I do not have a blanket. I asked for a blanket but I was told there was no blanket. No one thinks of us. Nothing has changed for nine months.”

Zeynep Doğa, who has lost her daughter and dozens of her relatives, has been mourning by wearing black clothing for nine months. “My mourning will end when I die. I have not been dead for nine months. Every day, I visit my daughter and talk to her but she does not answer. All I want is the punishment of those responsible.”