'It is heartbreaking': Maritime Syrian and Turkish communities react to earthquake and devastation
Thousands are dead and tens of thousands injured following the earthquake that has devastated Syria and Turkey.
“They are living in the street, laying down," said Omar Antebi, a Syrian Canadian. "There are no tents and there is nothing.”
Antebi left Syria ten years ago. Family members stayed behind.
“Four uncles and their wives and their children and my grandma and grandpa," said Antebi.
Antebi said, the cruel irony is, many fled the war in Syria to live safely in Turkey.
“They are escaping people’s bombing, and now they are experiencing God’s disaster.”
Rafat Harb, owner of the Syriana Market in Halifax, has spent many hours watching the horrifying images on TV.
“We have family there, it was not easy,” said Harb. “It is very hard when we see all the buildings come down and there is a lot of children under the building, and they couldn’t find them."
Ilker Dalgic volunteers with the Turkish Society of Nova Scotia and has experience when it comes to surviving earthquakes.
“Once I saw the magnitude as 7.8 I understood how it could be devastating and terrible because 24 years ago I also experienced one at 7.4 magnitude," said Dalgic. “It is heartbreaking.”
The scope of this tragedy has hit home with the entire Turkish community, including the owners of the Turkish restaurant Efes who are donating $2 per order for one full week to assist with earthquake aid.
“All of us knows someone who lost relatives. I have a friend who lost his in-laws," said Dalgic.
The Turkish society wants the government of Canada to act quickly and provide money, manpower and resources to aid those devastated by the earthquakes.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NDP motion regarding Palestinian statehood passes after major Liberal alterations
A motion from the federal New Democrats initially calling on Canada to recognize the 'State of Palestine' passed amid widespread acrimony on Monday, after the Liberals drastically altered its wording to see the government simply work towards that aim as part of a two-state solution.
'He didn't want to die': Family of Calgary man killed in standoff speaks out
Family of a Calgary man killed after a 30-hour standoff with police last week are speaking out, sharing details of the tense and heart-wrenching experience.
Toronto family doctor who called patient's body 'perfect' suspended for 3 months: tribunal
A family doctor in Toronto has been suspended for three months after a disciplinary tribunal found that he failed to follow proper protocols while examining a patient's breasts and made inappropriate comments about her body.
Ohio mom who left toddler alone 10 days when she went on vacation pleads guilty to aggravated murder
An Ohio mother whose 16-month-old daughter died after being left home alone in a playpen for 10 days last summer while she went on vacation was sentenced Monday to life in prison with no chance of parole.
Retired teacher pleads guilty to paying for sex with 15-year-old in Collingwood, Ont.
In a Barrie courtroom on Monday, a retired high school teacher from the Niagara Region pleaded guilty to sexual touching and obtaining sexual services from a 15-year-old boy in Collingwood in 2021.
Hertz CEO out following electric car 'horror show'
The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years.
5 charged in Calgary kidnappings that targeted women
Calgary police have charged five men in a pair of kidnappings last year that targeted innocent victims.
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
Canadian commander of volunteer fighter group dies in Ukraine
A Canadian-born commander of the so-called Norman Brigade, a volunteer fighting group in Ukraine, has died.