BALTIMORE — About 36,000 people are feared to be dead in a major earthquake affecting Turkey and Syria, marking a major humanitarian crisis.
There’s a tight-knit Turkish community here in Maryland, and they’ve spent the last week banding together to help.
"It’s surreal, actually. Just to listen to their stories," said Tamer Turkman, a board member with the Maryland American Turkish Association.
Turkman tells WMAR he has relatives in the areas of Turkey affected by the earthquake.
MORE: Turkish market in Columbia lends helping hand in light of earthquake
"They’re holding on to hope," Turkman added. "They're holding on to hope that maybe there can be more survivors amongst the people they’re close to.”
The devastation has inspired Turkish-American Marylanders to help - Turkman and other volunteers have made trips to Washington with supplies. Lately, he tells me they've delivered three vans’ worth of supplies a day to the Turkish embassy in Washington D.C.
From there, the supplies are to be airmailed to Turkey with the help of Turkish Airlines.
"Being here and not being there, there’s a feeling of guilt," said Turkman. "What can we do? We have to do something."
The Maryland American Turkish Association, established roughly 50 years ago, has a page on Facebook with about 1,600 followers.
Turkman also works with Turkish college students all around the U.S., many with connections to that area of Turkey.
"I've been speaking with them, especially ones who are from that area," said Turkman, "and just trying to show compassion, trying to console them."
According to the Turkish Embassy - there is still a major need for a few items, including disaster tents, blankets, sleeping bags and heaters. They are asking for new and unused items.
