Ottawa woman struggles to contact elderly mother trapped in Turkiye following earthquake
A devastating earthquake in Türkiye has left many in Ottawa's Turkish community worried about the safety of their loved ones back home.
Nurben Bagceli has been trying to reach her elderly mother, who is trapped in her apartment in Türkiye.
"She's alone, she's 79 years old, and she's not a very mobile person," says Bagceli. "There is no electricity, there is no gas."
Many of her family members cannot be reached by phone, leaving Bagceli worried about her mother's situation.
"I don't know her current situation right now. Is she scared? She has any needs? Anything collapse or fell onto her body? I don't know," says Bagceli.
The powerful magnitude 7.8 earthquake Monday struck both Türkiye and neighboring Syria, killing more than 3,400 people and injuring thousands more.
Omer Ongun also has family in Türkiye. His parents and sister narrowly escaped the earthquake, but they can't go back home due to fear of aftershocks.
"They were very close to the epicenter," says Ongun. "They barely made it out. Right now, they are in the car and they’re going to an open air kind of a field, away from the buildings. They're really kind of trapped in their own way."
The Turkish community in Ottawa is now coming together to organize relief efforts.
Hulya Gunay, the president of the Turkish Canadian Cultural Association, says, "In Ottawa, as the Turkish Canadian Cultural Association, we have organized within our community to send much needed winter supplies and financial support."
Supplies such as winter clothing, blankets, hats, gloves, boots, sleeping bags, and tents will be collected and delivered to Türkiye with the help of Turkish Airlines on Wednesday and Friday.
As for Bagceli, all she can do now is hope and wait.
"I don't know what to do. I want to go, hop on a plane and go, but they said all the roads, bridges, and tunnels are now collapsed and you cannot reach out to the city, other than the army I think. So I will try my chance tomorrow," she says.
Anyone interested in donating supplies or relief funds is encouraged to visit the Turkish Canadian Cultural Association website for more information.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.