MEDİNE MAMEDOĞLU

Semsûr (Adıyaman)- Semsûr is one of the cities affected by the devastating earthquakes that struck many cities in Turkey, Kurdistan and Syria. The earthquake survivors in Semsûr cannot access their basic needs such as tents, containers, clean water and toilets. In the city where people face the risk of skin infestations such as scabies or lice, the earthquake survivors stay in the tents used to dry tobacco due to the lack of tents.

‘Everyone gathered at the village square’

Tumê Taştan lives in the Dardağan village of Semsûr. After the earthquakes, she and her family stayed in their car for three days.  “When we felt the earthquake, we went out in our pajamas. It was raining. We took our children to our car. Everyone in the village went out in their pajamas. Altogether, we gathered at the village square. Everyone was in fear because many houses in the village collapsed. Then, we went near the village school and built a fire to keep us warm because it was raining and very cold,” Tumê Taştan said.

‘We set up the tents used to dry tobacco’

For three days, the villagers stayed in their cars. “After three days, we decided to set up the tents we use to dry tobacco. These tents are our tents, not the state’s. We put blankets and wood burning stoves in the tents to keep us warm. We have stayed in these tents for days. After weeks, helicopters dropped tents but the tents were insufficient. We used these tents to dry tobacco but now we stay in them.”

 

‘We pulled dead bodies out from under the rubble by ourselves’

The villagers rented an excavator to pull dead bodies out from under the rubble. “I lost many of my relatives. We pulled dead bodies out from the rubble by renting an excavator. We still live in these tents and you see our situation. But our situation is better than the situation of the people living in Adıyaman city center.”