Nationwide help for the southeastern region devastated by a pair of earthquakes and a score of aftershocks continues, with municipalities and cities joining forces to send much-needed aid to Kahramanmaraş, Gaziantep, Malatya and other hard-hit provinces.
At least 24,617 people died after two massive earthquakes that jolted the southeastern region on Monday, officials have stated, while more than 80,000 people were injured, as per AFAD's latest data.
From east to west, from the Black Sea region to the Mediterranean provinces of Antalya and Alanya, shipments of food, necessary materials and financial aid have been sent to the survivors, as many local communities open their doors to host those left displaced.
Northwestern Bursa and the surrounding cities of Bilecik and Kütahya, central Anatolia's Eskişehir and the northern coastal city of Sinop are among the towns continuing to extend support to eastern Anatolia as it reels from the "disaster of the century."
Bursa
In Bursa, Yıldırım Municipality has started work on establishing a container city under the coordination of the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD).
Yıldırım Mayor Oktay Yılmaz, whose evaluations were included in the statement made by the municipality, stated that due to the urgent need in the earthquake region, they would purchase containers and extend a helping hand to the earthquake victims.
"We will ship 300 container houses with bathrooms, sinks and kitchens to Malatya next week. We will also provide heaters and supplies for the houses for survivors' needs. The work of the second stage of the container city project continues at full speed. I invite you to donate new or secondhand containers that offer a warm living space. We share the sadness and recovery of our nation," Yılmaz noted.
Bahar Bilen, deputy chairperson of the Turkish Restaurants and Pastries Federation, said that after the earthquakes in Kahramanmaraş that affected 10 provinces, they mobilized many mobile kitchen tools for the citizens in the regions.
Bilen, also the chairperson of the Eskişehir Restaurant and Butchers Chamber of Craftsmen, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that after the earthquake, the chambers affiliated with the federation delivered more than 20 mobile kitchens to the disaster area. He shared that they distribute meals of ''soup, stew, and meatballs'' cooked in the kitchens, noting that ''more than 2,000 earthquake victims a day receive a meal from the mobile kitchen vehicles provided by federation's chambers.''
Some 75 residents of the district of Sınırdağı in Balıkesir came together in coordination with the AFAD and the Turkish Red Cresent (Kızılay) and are baking village bread for the earthquake victims.
The bread made by the women in the neighborhood bakeries was handed over to the aid tent after being packaged.
Likewise, some 6,000 loaves of bread were loaded on the aid truck and sent to the earthquake zone, with 6,000 other food items prepared in Akpınar Life Center.
Çoturtepe neighborhood's mukhtar, Sezen Çelik, who brought the bread made by the neighborhood's residents to the district center, said that the citizens are doing everything they can. ''I hope God will never let us experience something like this again," he said.
In Bilecik, earthquake victims' families have been provided shelter in KYK dormitories and the houses of citizens. Clothing and food items collected at the Atatürk Sports Hall and Şeyh Edebali Culture and Congress Center have also been distributed to those in need.
In the statement made by the governor's office, it was noted that 765 personnel and 37 pieces of construction machinery from public institutions and organizations, municipalities and voluntary organizations were transferred to the earthquake zone from Bilecik under the leadership of the AFAD.
Fundamental living items collected within the scope of the aid campaign coordinated by the governorship in other provinces, including Kütahya, continue to be delivered to earthquake victims by trucks.
The Kütahya Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KUTSO) also supported the campaign. With the financial and in-kind support of KUTSO members, 212 container houses, 100 mobile toilets and showers, 14,000 blankets, clothing items, food and hygiene products have been sent to the disaster area.
Meanwhile, Sinop Municipality also reported that through the slogan "Haydi Sinop" ('Let's go Sinop'), they have sent 130 trucks of aid to quake areas in six days.
At the same time, corporations in the logistics and automotive sectors, such as Stellantis Türkiye and Doğan Trend Automotive, have opened support accounts for earthquake victims. Stellantis, representing car brands such as Peugeot, Citroen and Opel, continues its aid, with local news agencies reporting that the group has started to evacuate the employees and families of different automotive brands represented by its dealers.
Apart from the aid mentioned above, the call for blood donations initiated by the Turkish Red Crescent (Kızılay) continues uninterruptedly. Dr. Burak Kızanlık, in charge of a Red Crescent blood donation team, said Sunday: "As a result of the intensive blood donation process last week, the need for blood has been met as of today. However, we will resume our routine operations tomorrow."
