Turkey-Syria earthquake: Scarborough man loses 14 family members with four still missing in devastating quake
A Turkish man, who has made Scarborough his home, has spoken about his distress after 14 members of his family lost their lives in the devastating earthquake which hit Turkey and Syria earlier this week.
Mehmet Kaya, 49, who owns Stop & Shop on Victoria Road, grew up in Şanlıurfa, Turkey, less than 100 miles to the east of the earthquake’s epicentre in Gaziantep.
He moved to Scarborough in the year 2000 after another earthquake hit the area where he was living with his Scarborough-born wife, killing 31,000 people.
The city is still home to his parents and his two sisters and their children live just five miles from Şanlıurfa.
When the earthquake hit, both of his sisters were staying at his parents house, visiting for the weekend.
Mr Kaya’s parent’s house survived the earthquake, his sisters’ homes did not.
Mr Kaya said: “That’s how life reacts sometimes, they know how lucky they are.
“Thankfully they are fine, nevermind about the house, I’m not worried about the house.
“Fourteen of my relatives have died and another four have disappeared and we don’t know where they are, whether they are in hospital or if they are dead.
“The country is in complete chaos and very disorganised, people are digging through the rubble with their bare hands.”
To help those in his home country Mr Kaya has organised an emergency aid collection in his shop.
His nephew, who runs a business in Beverley, is also collecting and already has a truck full of aid ready to deliver to the troubled region, Mr Mehmet plans to send any items donated to him on a second run.
Mr Mehemet said: “We need baby nappies, powdered milk, winter coats for any age and gender, sanitary pads, painkillers, cough medicine, that kind of thing.
“People can also donate chisels, hammers and other small tools.
“We know that people have their own problems in this country, but also that they have nice soft hearts. We’re not asking them to donate big things that cost £60 like a drill.
“We don’t need food - they have food. This stuff will be going in the next couple of weeks. If people want to donate money they’re best doing that through the British Red Cross.
“They can donate as little as £1 which would buy five loaves of bread, which would make a difference for everyone, 50p even, which would buy five bottles of water.
“I just want to say thank you to everyone on behalf of my people and my country.”
Stop & Shop is open from 9am-9pm seven days a week and donations can be left at any time.