On February 6, a magnitude 7.5 earthquake hit in Turkey and Syria. The death toll keeps rising and as of publication is over 20,000, with tens of thousands injured.

With people’s homes being destroyed, they had nowhere to go as shelters were not available. Most people were huddled around a fire to keep warm at night with temperatures getting to 40 degrees and under. Many people choose to avoid the buildings by staying out in the open, in case another earthquake comes.

Stories coming out of the area from other news sources share the stories of those living through the aftermath. In an article from NBC News, a couple citizens spoke on their experiences.

“Nobody has come to help us, I have complaints about all the authorities here,” said Nursen Guler.

Perihan Sayar lost her 10-year-old granddaughter due to the earthquake.

“I lived alone, in a one-room house,” Sayar said. “Now my house is also gone.”

Junior Isolde Cladera from Eleanor Roosevelt High School shared her thoughts on the recent disaster.

“It’s truly horrible, I feel terrible for those families. Most no longer have anywhere to go, all they have to do is wait until their homes and cities get cleaned,” Claders said. “They have to wait and watch the number of people who lost their lives go up, and wait to hear from their families as well. I couldn’t imagine what I would do if something like that happened, I wouldn’t be able to sleep if I just had to wait till I hear from my family.”

Another student from Eleanor Roosevelt High School, Jamie Smok, had this to say about the earthquake.

“I don’t think anyone should have to go through this, waiting to see how many more is something I could not deal with, and the temperatures as well that is not something I could do,” Smok said. “I send my prays to those families in Turkey and hope they find their families and get their homes rebuilt.”