DİYARBAKIR - Ferhat Pala, a member of HDP Youth Council, who participated in relief efforts in the areas after the 7.7 and 7.6 magnitude earthquakes in Maraş, said: “People were hungry and thirsty in desperation. There was no one other than HDP and NGOs.”

 

People's Democratic Party (HDP) Youth Council members, who participated in search and rescue and aid organizations in Adana, Adıyaman, Diyarbakır, Gaziantep, Hatay, Maraş, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye and Urfa, which were affected by the 7.7 and 7.6 magnitude earthquakes in Maraş, shared their observations with our agency.

 

HDP Youth Council member Ferhat Pala, who arrived in Pazarcık district from Van, took part in the fundraising and distribution activities from the volunteers who were in the area since the first day of the earthquake.

 

'THERE IS NO STATE'

 

Explaining that they reached the area with 20 of his friends, Ferhat Pala said: "There were no government institutions in the earthquake area, especially UMKE (National Medical Rescue Team Unit) and AFAD (Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency). When we came to the earthquake area, we encountered a heavy picture due to the destruction and the people were devastated. People came to us and asked for help. We had nothing else to do to save the citizens trapped in the concrete. People were screaming because of the absence of the state, and their anger was great. We stayed in Pazarcık for 7 days. We started to distribute aid from cities such as Batman, Mardin and Istanbul to the villages. People were under the rubble right before our eyes."

 

HUNGRY, THIRSTY AND DESPERATION 

 

The volunteer continued as the following: "Since we didn't have any materials, we couldn't find the ones under the rubble. It was very difficult. The people were in despair, but they were hungry and thirsty. Despite the extremely cold weather, people still stay outside. The tent problem continues. Since the first day of the earthquake, there has been no work other than HDP and NGOs."