Local Turkish community heartbroken by devastation, death toll from earthquake in Turkey
BOSTON -- Search and rescue efforts are underway for survivors in Turkey after a deadly 7.8 earthquake. The death toll is over 3,000 and is expected to rise.
The Turkish community in Boston is watching the horror unfold so far from home.
"Death toll keeps rising up which is sad," said Huseyin Akgun. He owns Istanbul'lu Restaurant in Somerville.
The doors of the restaurant were closed today and his focus was elsewhere: "Internet. Watching live Turkish channels," he said.
The earthquake decimated parts of Turkey near the Syrian border.
"You see those little kids coming out of those beams it breaks your heart not good"
Derya Binal is the president of the Boston University Turkish Student Association. He said he could barely concentrate in any of his classes today.
"You just feel helpless at this point. You can't do anything, that's what you feel like at first, but if I was in Istanbul I would feel the same way," he said.
He and other Turkish students at Boston University started a GoFundMe account to send funds to Bridge for Turkey, an organization aiding in relief.
"When you go out in Boston dinner it's 50 bucks I would recommend people who don't go out tonight because 50 bucks can make a difference," Binal said.
UNICEF and the Turkish Red Crescent are also taking donations to help rescue efforts. You can also donate to the Boston University Turkish Student Association.
Donations can also be made to NuDay Syria, an empowerment organization based out of Derry, New Hampshire with boots on the ground helping with recovery efforts and at local hospitals.