Syrian family in Regina mourns dead relatives, fears for missing family after earthquake
Abdelkarim Al Elaiwy says he hasn't heard from his aunt in two days
Regina resident Abdelkarim Al Elaiwy and his wife Rawda Al Khalif have not slept since the news of the earthquake in Syria and Turkey broke on Monday morning.
The couple, originally from Syria, have many family members and friends back in the war-torn country, and news of the rising death toll and wreckage is the only thing they can think about right now.
More than 6,200 people have been killed in Turkey and neighbouring Syria, as of 4 p.m. CST. Turkey has declared a state of emergency for at least three months.
Al Khalif looked at photos of her niece on her phone in Regina on Tuesday afternoon, and told CBC she learned about her death in the morning. The shock and grief is all consuming.
Al Elaiwy is constantly checking his phone for messages from missing relatives.
He and his aunt, who lives on the northern Syria side of the border with Turkey, talk nearly every day. But Al Elaiwy hasn't heard from her in two days.
He fears the worst.
"I called my sister. She doesn't have any news about her and her family and I think she is dead … And her children. Under the house," said Al Elaiwy.
He also hasn't been able to reach his cousin since they spoke on Monday at 11 a.m.
"I hope the problem is the internet," he said. "Every hour I'm hearing the news about some friends die, some relatives die, children ... I don't know what I can say. Too much people [are] under the buildings."
Al Elaiwy at least knows his sister is safe. She's living in a tent in Turkey with her husband and their children after the earthquake destroyed their home.
Al Elaiwy said he's particularly worried about children who might be cold as it's winter in Turkey and Syria. He hopes Canada and other countries will help.
"If you can send money for help the children, because [they] don't have any tent, any house, any food," he said. "They don't have clothes. Very bad … I cannot imagine."
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that 70 countries have offered help for the search and rescue operation.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada would provide "$10 million in immediate aid" to Turkey. Minister of International Development Harjit Sajjan said Canada is also considering on-the-ground help, including medical and Disaster Assistance Response Teams (DART).
Meanwhile, Al Elaiwy can't stop thinking about his family and friends. He's staying glued to his phone and waiting for news.
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With files from The Associated Press