Turkish Native Says Earthquake Victims Need Help

As soon as Osman Kilic got news that a 7.2 magnitude earthquake had hit his native country of Turkey today, he picked up the phone to call his friends and family there.

"Everyone is OK. Thank God," the North Haven resident said. "That's the most important thing."

But Kilic, who has been tracking the news on a Turkish television station and on the Internet, knows not everyone is as fortunate. NPR is reporting the quake that struck near the eastern Turkish city of Van could result in a death toll up to 1,000.

Hampered by powerful aftershocks, rescue workers and residents are attempting to get to people who are believed to be trapped beneath the rubble of collapsed buildings. As night sets in there residents are relying on flashlights to aid in the search effort, according to CNN.

Kilic, whose great grandparents were from near Van, said it can get quite cold in the eastern part of Turkey around this time of year. And he worried that the loss of infrastructure could be devastating to the financial well-being of Turkish families in what is already a relatively impoverished area.

This is the most powerful earthquake to hit Turkey in a decade. Kilic remembers not being able to get in touch with his in-laws in Istanbul following a quake in 1999, and the sense of helplessness that created. Yet it is a two-way street.

Kilic's family was equally concerned about him during recent natural disasters in the U.S - an earthquake outside of Washington, D.C., that sent shockwaves up the East Coast, and Hurricane Irene.

"That's the reality of life being away from family members," said Kilic, a professor at Hamden-based Quinnipiac University. He has been living in the U.S. since 1989 and a professor of finance at Quinnipiac since '99.

Based on his past experience, he said the best way to help the people of Turkey is to make monetary donations to relief organizations, like the American Red Cross.

Kilic said he also expects the Turkish Cultural Center of Connecticut to get involved in fundraising efforts. A call to the West Haven-based center was not immediately returned.

"There are people there in need of help," Kilic said. "I'm hoping everyone will help out."