NEW ORLEANS — The death toll in Turkey continues to rise after a powerful earthquake hit the area, more than 3000 people are confirmed dead.
Here in New Orleans, some are worrying about family and friends they have back in Turkey.
Fatma Aydian was watching the tragedy unfold in her homeland, from thousands of miles away.
“I have family and a lot of friends, and friend's families who live in that area,” she said.
A 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Turkey and Syria in the early hours of Monday morning. The powerful quake and aftershocks collapsed thousands of buildings, killing more than 3,800 people.
According to the United States Geological Survey, it was also felt in Cyprus, Egypt, Israel, and Lebanon.
“It happened in the southern coastline area, my brother owns a house in the North, on the black sea coastline... they felt it over there, think how big it was," Aydian said.
Video shows the moment tragedy struck, now rescuers are digging through rubble, in freezing temperatures, in the hopes to find survivors.
“People's lives shouldn’t be this cheap it should have more value than this, people didn’t care, the warnings were out there.”
Fatma who owns Fatma’s Cozy Corner in Tremé migrated to New Orleans in 1986, saying, “I came to New Orleans to go to school here, and I just stayed. I love New Orleans and I have been here since then.”
She says her family is safe and alive, but many are using social media to locate loved ones after the quake. Her brother’s best friend is one of them.
"He was going through social media. He saw his sister's husband making a video, giving an address and asking for help, this is my address, this is my children, we are all here, we need help.”
She says being so far away from her native country makes her feel helpless but is asking everyone to pray for those in Turkey.
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