Pittsburgh Turkish community working to help victims of the earthquake in Turkey

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Pittsburgh Turkish community working to help victims of the earthquake in Turkey

Julia Maruca | Monday, February 6, 2023 9:29 p.m.

Depo Photos via AP

People try to reach trapped residents in a collapsed building in Pazarcik, in Kahramanmaras province, southern Turkey, early Monday. A powerful earthquake has caused significant damage in southeast Turkey and Syria and many casualties are feared. Damage was reported across several Turkish provinces, and rescue teams were being sent from around the country.

A Pittsburgh group is working to raise money for relief efforts after Monday’s 7.8 magnitude earthquake that devastated areas of Turkey and Syria.

Benjamin Aysan, community outreach coordinator at the Turkish Cultural Center Pittsburgh, said the community organization is directing those who want to help victims of the earthquake to donate to the aid organization Embrace Relief.

“Right now, they are just collecting donations as money, and they are going to send it to Turkey,” Aysan said. “They really need this help.”

According to Aysan, no members of the Turkish Cultural Center Pittsburgh’s community so far have relatives who live directly in the area impacted by the earthquake, but the center still wants to help those in need.

The death toll from the quake was more than 3,400 people and thousands more were injured as it toppled buildings and trapped residents under mounds of rubble.

“I think they are going to start asking for physical items to collect when everything is clear a few days later,” Aysan said, adding that right now, contacting anyone in the impacted area is difficult due to internet and power outages.

To donate, people can visit the Turkish Cultural Center Pittsburgh’s Facebook page or the Embrace Relief website.

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