A magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the region of Turkey and Syria on Monday, Feb. 6, leaving devastating destruction. Although rescue operations are currently underway, over 36,000 people are confirmed dead and many others are still trapped under the rubble. Even though Turkey and Syria are located thousands of miles away, some students are feeling the extreme effects of the earthquake. 

Sophomore Kayra Liceoglu, grew up in Istanbul and lived there for eleven years. Even though her family moved to America, she still has friends and family in Turkey. When her mother told her about the massive earthquake, a feeling of fear fell over her. 

“When I heard about the earthquake in Turkey, I was worried for my relatives and friends,” Liceoglu said. “I have so many fond memories of living in Turkey. The school I went to was fun and I made a lot of friends. I was nervous about their well-being and I wanted to know if they were okay.”

After a few days, Liceoglu was able to get in contact with her family and she was relieved to find out they were safe. Although her family lives far enough away from the earthquake, facing only minimal damage, Liceoglu has been reminded of her earthquake experiences from her time living in Turkey. 

“When I was in fifth grade, I was in a small earthquake. Even though it was not major, it was still a terrifying experience,” Liceoglu said. “Things were shaking and I did not realize right away what was happening. Once I did, I started to panic. Luckily everything turned out okay.”

While Liceoglu understands the severity of the situation, others are just now learning about the disaster. 

“I found out about the earthquake today,” sophomore Maidson Monroe said. “It is a sad thing to happen and I feel devastated for those people. I plan on donating to help the families in need during this difficult time.”

Like Monroe, Liceoglu also feels saddened for the people affected by the earthquake.

“I love Turkey and its people. There is so much culture and history there and I hope the rescue operations can save as many lives as they can. I wish both countries will make a speedy recovery,” Liceoglu said. 

To donate to organizations helping aid people affected by the earthquake, visit https://www.savethechildren.org/us/what-we-do/emergency-response/turkey-syria-earthquake.