Muscat: The earthquake in Turkey has left a trail of destruction and tragedy. For the fortunate Omanis holidaying in Turkey, this is the worst nightmare they have witnessed in their life.
“There are hundreds of dead bodies lying everywhere. Many are missing while the wounded are crying for treatment. The stench of rotting bodies mixed with rain and snow is simply unbearable. People in the streets are crying for help – a sight that I will not forget in my life,” an Omani citizen, Farouk Al Owaidi, from the Wilayat of Dima Wal’Tayyin, said.
Farouk, who is in the Mersin region, south of the Turkish Republic, shared a chilling first-hand account, saying, “The earthquake occurred at 4:30 am. Everything started shaking like a swing around me. Without realising what was happening, I ran out of my hotel room,” he said.
Before going out, I wondered, “Should I go down from the sixth floor or jump outside the building? What if the building falls while I am going down? Should I take my things, money, valuables, passport, or should I save myself now? Within a split second, I left the hotel leaving behind everything. I also decided not to use the elevator, as the stairs are safer, but it was raining outside and freezing cold.
“After coming out from the hotel, I saw that all the buildings started shaking in Mersin. I wondered whether I was dreaming or if it was a reality. Soon, the earth shook and nearby buildings swayed violently enough that I thought they might come down on top of us. On visiting Diyarbakir, I saw sounds of crashing cars and screaming people all around,” he added.
“Some buildings collapsed like a pack of cards within seconds in Diyarbakir. Then the temblor stopped, leaving behind destruction, terrifying scenes. I went back to check the conditions. I heard screams of people in pain from everywhere. I sat on the ground as I could not stand when I saw the terrible tragedy.”
Another Omani citizen, Abdullah Al-Masrouri, said: “Around 4:35 am Turkish time, I woke up to send a message on my phone. Suddenly, I realised that the furniture around me was moving together on the eighth floor of a 12-storey building.”
Al-Masrouri added: “The sight of men, women and children rushing to the empty squares in the extreme cold was frightening. Everyone was terrified with cries of babies and screams of people renting the air. It was really very scary.”
Al-Masrouri also said that the sight of the destroyed buildings and houses was terrifying. “We heard the cries of residents, some of them looking in disbelief after their dream houses came crashing on the ground. Voices started coming out from under the rubble, asking for help but we were helpless. The sirens of police cars and ambulances could be heard everywhere. Those were terrifying moments – a sight that will be etched in my memory throughout my life.”
State of emergency
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, on Tuesday, declared three-month state of emergency in 10 southern provinces which was hit by massive quakes, Anadolu Agency reported.
While addressing the State Information Coordination Centre in Ankara, Erdogan said, “Based on the authority given to us by Article 119 of the Constitution, we decided to declare a state of emergency. We will quickly complete the presidential and parliamentary processes about the state of emergency decision.”
Source: Times of Oman