B.C. woman loses six family members in earthquake in Turkey

“They were all in the same building, and they passed away. It was a very tall building, probably one of the tallest in Iskenderun,” she told Global News.

A B.C. woman who has lost family members in the earthquake in Turkey said she’s turning her grief into action.

Nural Sumbultepe said she received the horrifying news that six of her family members were killed in her hometown of Iskenderun in Turkey in the 7.8 earthquake that shook the region.

“I basically lost half of my family in this earthquake,” Sumbultepe said. “I lost six members of my core family.”

A brother, a sister-in-law, a brother-in-law, a nephew, his wife and their infant son all were lost for Sumbultepe.

“They were all in the same building, and they passed away. It was a very tall building, probably one of the tallest in Iskenderun,” she told Global News.

In the depths of her grief, Sumbultepe feels compelled to share her story to draw aid and attention to the hardest-hit regions she says will continue to need for years to come.

“There are lots of bodies under the rubble. And their loved ones won’t rest until their bodies are found and buried. And after that, there’s much more work to do,” Sumbultepe said.

This is why Sumbultepe plans to leave Vancouver for Turkey when it’s safe to do so.