Chicago area medical volunteers step up for victims of earthquake in Turkey and Syria
ORLAND PARK, Ill. (CBS) -- The death toll has been steadily rising after a powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit southern Turkey and northern Syria early Monday.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake was 11 miles deep.
At least 20 aftershocks followed, some hours later during daylight, the strongest measuring 6.6, Turkish authorities said.
With hundreds upon hundreds injured and hundreds more believed trapped under rubble from toppled buildings, the toll was expected to go on rising as rescue workers combed through rubble in cities and towns across the region. As of Monday night in Chicago, more than 4,300 people were dead.
Thousands of buildings collapsed altogether – some of which stood for more than a millennium. Hospitals are overrun with the injured, and tens of thousands of people are suddenly homeless and being forced to brave near-freezing conditions.
As CBS 2's Jermont Terry reported, the calls for aid are also being answered in the Chicago area. In one effort, a Chicago chapter of medical volunteers are filling a warehouse with as many medical supplies as possible.
They know many people are looking for ways to help those hurt in the earthquake, and theirs is just one way to step up.
The destruction in Turkey and northwest Syria is hard to look at. It was even harder for Ismaail Aajoukah.
"My family – my brother and two sisters and my mom live there," he said.
And when the images of the earthquake's aftermath were unveiled, Aajoukah said: "I was very concerned. I was very – was super-worried."
Hours would go by before Aajoukah finally communicated with his family.
"They were all bruised and they all had some minor injuries," he said. "My brother broke his leg."
And when Aajoukah's brother went to the hospital, he was turned away. Aajoukah only wanted to do one thing himself.
"I really wanted to jump on a plane and go there – but there was unfortunately no airplanes going in that direction," he said. "I wanted to do something."
So Aajoukah turned to the Syrian American Medical Society, or SAMS. The volunteer-based medical organization was already in the region.
"As you know, Syria has a civil war for the last 12 years - and they built infrastructure for medical relief," said Dr. Bassell Atassi, president of the Midwest chapter of SAMS – which is based in Chicago.
So when the destruction of the earthquake and aftershocks happened, SAMS volunteers were quick to beef up relief efforts and help the injured.
"Right away, we connected with our team in Turkey, and team in Syria," Atassi said.
With tens of thousands injured, ER's quickly filled – and the need soared.
"So we're trying to get all the relief efforts to help them with getting more supplies; getting more donations," Atassi said.
They will shift items and make room in the warehouse in Orland Park for medical supplies to shift overseas.'
They have the room, but they just need people to have the heart.
As CBS 2's Marissa Perlman reported Monday, several other organizations in Chicago – including the Turkish Consulate – are also organizing to get supplies to southern Turkey.
"It's like a mass murder of nature," said Viladan Gorener, president of Chicago's Turkish American Cultural Alliance. "You can't really do much about it."
But Aajoukah knows the Chicago area will do what's right.
"Everything helps all the time, and we've seen that - and I haven't seen a more generous community than Chicago," he said.
SAMS printed a flyer with information on where people can drop off new and unused medical supplies to the warehouse. Anyone who wishes to do so should call first.
Financial donations are also accepted at the SAMS website.
