HATAY - Sündüz Kubbe, caught in an earthquake in Samandağ, says, "We have dreams and experiences. How can we leave our hometown? We can't live anywhere but Samandağ."

 

Caught in the earthquake in Samandağ district of Hatay, Sündüz Kubbe and his family got out of their collapsed two-storey house by their own means. The family is now struggling to survive in the tent their neighbors set up in the orange grove. Bringing flowers from the wreckage of her house, which was destroyed from time to time, Kubbe continues his daily work despite her injured arm in the earthquake. Emphasizing that she will never leave Samandağ despite the conditions, Kubbe states that a new life will be established with the efforts of the people.

 

SOLIDARITY OF PEOPLE

 

Expressing that solidarity keeps us alive, Kubbe tells the following about the earthquake: "We survived with our own efforts. We did not see anyone for 2-3 days, and we rescued our relatives from the rubble ourselves. It is a very difficult time, we cannot enter our houses because they are heavily damaged, some collapsed. To survive like this. We work hard. Our family is large, we live together. We supported each other in these difficult days. We set up a tent with our own efforts. At first, 25 people were staying in the same tent. We are trying to get through those days. After 3 days, the volunteers came, they tried their best. Thank you all. Everyone knows each other here, we support each other."

 

'WE WILL REBUILD'

 

Kubbe said: "We don't know what will happen, what to do. The buildings still stand. But we will never leave here. We will not abandon our land. This is our ancestral land, how can we leave our hometown? We stay in the tent, but we never leave. All Samandağ agrees, no one wants to leave this place. We are happy here. We have dreams, we have experiences. We grew up here and raised our children here. We cannot live anywhere but Samandag. Hopefully we will rebuild it."

 

MA / Müjdat Can - Eylem Akdağ