Earthquake Relief For Turkey Announced By Northern Virginia Leaders

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA — Northern Virginia leaders gathered Friday to announce an earthquake relief effort for the people of Turkey.

The 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit parts of Turkey and Syria on Feb. 6. The death count is now at about 51,000, including over 45,089 victims in Turkey alone, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay said at a Friday news conference. Over 180,000 people were injured by the earthquake and aftershocks.

With a high death count and collapse of hundreds of thousands of buildings, the earthquake is being classified as Turkey's worst disaster in its recent history. Now the Northern Virginia Regional Commission, which has representatives from Northern Virginia localities, has launched a fundraiser to help the people of Turkey.

"Our hearts broke to hear the news of such a profound loss of life in Turkey and Syria following multiple earthquakes," said McKay. "But I’m proud to be a part of a community that rallies together to help those in need both regionally and internationally."

Northern Virginia's fundraiser is collecting money to buy food packages for people impacted by the earthquakes. The commission is working with partner Embrace Relief, which officials previously worked with on Syrian refugee assistance. Embrace Relief has contracted with a firm in Turkey to provide food through the relief initiative.

The commission has a goal of raising $25,000 for the relief effort. Donations can be made at www.helpearthquakevictims.org.

Embrace Relief Virginia volunteer coordinator Mustafa Akpinar said he came from an area of Turkey that was devastated by the earthquake. Three of his cousins and their families were killed in the earthquake.

Current efforts by Embrace Relief include providing relief packages to affected residents and helping residents relocate to other cities or build homes.

"Small or big, it doesn't matter at this time people in Turkey and Syria need our help. Please donate generously and do as much as you can," said Akpinar.

Alexandria City Councilmember John Taylor Chapman, the Northern Virginia Regional Commission chair, noted successful recent fundraisers to help Syrian refugees amid the civil war and to help Ukrainian refugees fleeing the Russian invasion. Now he is encouraging Northern Virginians to show the same generosity toward the people of Turkey.

"Northern Virginia residents and businesses have always stepped up to the plate to help those in need," said Chapman. "This time is no different. I urge folks to visit the website and donate to provide food to those families tragically impacted by the earthquake"

McKay noted another relief contribution was Fairfax County's Virginia Task 1, an urban search and rescue team that helps with disaster responses when activated by FEMA.

Lt. Andrew Johnson, a Virginia Task Force 1 member, recounted the devastation from the earthquake the team found. When the group arrived at the Turkish city of Aidyaman, Johnson observed it was "almost completely destroyed."

"It was made clear to me that the devastation that was televised and was presented on social media was only a fraction of the devastation that we were encountering," said Johnson.

The task force's team of 79 people and six dogs was sent to look for people trapped in the ruins of buildings in Syria and Turkey. Virginia Task Force 1 worked in communities assigned by Turkey's government, rescued some people, conducted site assessments for rescue operation needs, did structural and damage assessments to determine unsafe buildings, and provided technical and medical guidance to other teams.

The team arrived in Turkey on Feb. 8 and returned to Fairfax County on Feb. 20.

"We are so fortunate to have Virginia Task Force 1 here in Fairfax County to deploy internationally, to deploy domestically," said McKay. "And we know that Virginia Task Force 1 is funded by federal resources, but the training and the men and women come from our own Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department."

But with a long recovery expected after the earthquake, McKay said Turkey will need help to rebuild. That's where Northern Virginia residents come in with its latest relief fundraiser.