Students announce donation campaign for earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria

By Kayra Sener News Contributor

At least 12,000 people were killed in Turkey and Syria after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake and a 7.5 magnitude aftershock struck neighboring countries on Feb. 6. The death toll continues to surge as rescue squads search for survivors trapped under 5000 buildings reduced to rubbles.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan declared a three-month state of emergency, saying that this is the biggest disaster Turkey has experienced since another earthquake that struck the country in 1939.

Following the earthquake, Turkish Student Association (TSA) announced a donation campaign, Turkish Students for Earthquake Relief, for the survivors.

Alkin Kaz ’23, president of TSA, told The Daily Princetonian that a quick distribution of resources is necessary.

“As the unfortunate news of the earthquakes has shaken our friends, families, and the globe, we wanted to contribute to the disaster response efforts to the highest extent possible,” he said.

“Over the following days,” he added, “we will be organizing a donation drive where critically needed items to survive in the harsh winter, such as blankets and sleeping bags, would be accepted and transported to the earthquake-affected regions.”

The disaster has devastated the Turkish-Syrian community in Princeton. In an interview with the Daily Princetonian, Emre Parmaksiz ’24, whose parents and brother live in the region, said, “I can do nothing but wait. It is simply tormenting.”

Parmaksiz’s parents serve as medical doctors, and he told the ‘Prince’ that they were both “rushed to the hospital, and for the last two days, they have been attending day and night shifts.” Currently, tens of thousands are injured and in need of medical attention.

Since the first high-magnitude earthquake, the re-