Canadian embassy failed family, says twin brother of Halifax woman killed in Turkiye earthquake

Samar Zora was in Antakya doing doctoral research in anthropology through Duke University. She was found in the rubble of a five-storey building that had collapsed in the earthquake. (Submitted: Summer Steenberg)

The twin brother of a Halifax woman killed in Turkiye’s earthquake believes the Canadian embassy let his family down during a time of need.

Saad Zora, 33, said the Canadian embassy sent him phone numbers, websites and redirected him to information he could find online himself as he frantically tried to locate his sister.

Zora said the Canadian embassy told him to register her name and officials would try to contact her but he already told them his sister wasn’t responding to messages and calls.

“I went there on foot,” he said, despite the embassy advising against it.

His twin sister Samar was in Antakya doing doctoral research in anthropology through Duke University.

She was found in the rubble of a five-storey building that had collapsed.

The Zora twins were born in Kuwait but grew up in Nova Scotia. Their mother wanted to bury Samar in Kuwait, where her parents live now.

Zora’s family needed to find a coffin. He said, while the Canadian embassy sent him a phone number, the Kuwaiti embassy made calls and arrangements to secure a special coffin and flight.

“Something’s got to change,” he said while speaking with CTV News from Kuwait earlier this week. “I’m not even a Kuwaiti citizen.”

“I understand they may have been overwhelmed, but how many other people are dealing with this?”

Charlotte MacLeod, a spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada, said they are deeply saddened by the loss of life and terrible destruction caused by the earthquake in Turkiye and Syria.

“Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Samar Zora who passed away in Turkiye,” MacLeod said. “Canadian consular officials in Ankara were in contact with local authorities to gather additional information and provided consular assistance to the family as required. For privacy reasons, we are not able to release any further details.”

Now in Kuwait, Zora is thinking about the people and community of Antakya who helped his family.

“Our story is multiplied by thousands,” he said. “We met people there who buried their whole family.”

Zora and his family created a GoFundMe page to raise money for the people of Hatay province, a region that was also hit by another 6.4-magnitude quake this week.

“We’re trying to figure out what can people do with this money, how can people even receive money, they don’t have power,” he said.

Zora said he’s also trying to connect with NGOs on the ground.

“They need tents and wood stoves.”

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