Russians in Turkey, reacting to the earthquake, spoke about the “freaks”

“The night was terrible,” our compatriots in Turkish cities admit. No one fell asleep: they considered the tremors that swept across the country – weaker, but the number of victims is growing hourly, as many still remain under the rubble. A week of mourning has been declared in Turkey, schools are closed until February 13, all forces are sent to help the victims. The nationwide tragedy also affected Russian tourists, both short-term and relocators.

We asked about their condition and mood.

In all Russian-language chats, the Turks thank the Russians for their enthusiastic participation and help. There, every hour, data on the situation in different parts of the country is updated. One gets the feeling that all compatriots who are now in Turkey, including the Riviera, which was not affected by the earthquake, are involved in providing all possible assistance. True, unlike the Turks, not all Russians are sure that our fellow citizens are showing due humanity.

– Personally, the whole family did not sleep all night, but followed the new shocks, although we arrived only for a week, – says Vera from Bryansk, who is now in Antalya. – We downloaded a special application, we see that there were tremors at night, and now in some places tremors of 5-5.5 points on the Richter scale continue. It’s not as scary as it was the day before, but imagine if people are under the ruins?!

Vera says that they collected help for the victims – they took cash and bought something. But, according to the Russian woman, not all of their group behaved this way.

– Some of our people saw an announcement in the lobby about collecting help and immediately buzzed: they need blankets and heaters, but where did we get it from, we live in a hotel! The money is asked to be transferred to the state current account, but as soon as we transfer it, our cards do not work! We paid so much for a week in this hotel, so let the hotel help. And our vacation is already spoiled, now half of our hotel will be occupied by the victims.

With such, according to compassionate Russians, in the midst of a general misfortune, no one argues, but the aftertaste remains unpleasant. A couple from Kostroma, now in Kemer, believes that it is necessary to pay attention not to “freaks”, but to people, and there are a lot of them. In Antalya alone, hotels have expressed their readiness to accept 15,000 victims, and throughout Turkey, the number of hotels ready to provide free shelter to earthquake victims is already approaching 200 and increasing every hour.

– And everything is very human – there are no questions about “state compensation” and no bureaucracy, – say the residents of Kostroma. – You can send a request directly to the hotel, and he is looking for an opportunity. The national air carrier has fixed the price for a flight to Istanbul from the airports of the disaster zones at 100 liras, which is less than 400 rubles. True, the Istanbul airfield today does not receive or send any flights due to snowfall. They say that trouble does not come alone!

Compatriots know this all firsthand: it was their travel agency – represented by its Turkish partner – that organized a rescue group for Russian-speaking guides who found themselves under the ruins of a hotel in one of the most affected cities – Adiyamana.

– These are not Russians, but Turkish guides who speak Russian, – the couple from Kostroma clarifies. – These are 43 people, possibly on the verge of death. Rubble is being cleared away at the site of their hotel. And, of course, it is unpleasant to watch how some tourists from the Russian Federation exhale: “Well, thank God, not ours!”

The guys themselves and some of their “groupmates” follow in chats what the victims need the most, and have already gone to the market and bought what they could:

– Well, let’s suppose that some short-term tourists really can’t afford to buy heaters, – compatriots say. “But there are still many things on the list that you can afford. We bought bed linen sets, towels and hygiene items – soap, pads, toilet paper and all that. And our friends are baby food, diapers, canned food, chargers, warm hats, scarves and gloves. And nothing, no one went broke. We have only +12 now, and people generally freeze in disaster zones. Some tracks are completely covered with snow for a meter, trucks with help cannot get there. Someone else’s misfortune does not happen! Just imagine: at least 4 hotels buried guests under their ruins!

In the Russian-language chat rooms of each Turkish city, places are indicated and specified where help is received – material, monetary, as well as blood for the wounded. The most active of our relocators keep track of all collection points – schools, stadiums, shopping centers – and report opening hours and what is most needed there.

“We really need the blood of certain groups,” activists from compatriots share. – And here, of course, it’s a shame! Many of ours are ready to surrender. But upon delivery, a questionnaire is filled out and an ikamet is presented – a tourist residence permit. The one that the Russians have almost never been given recently. They look at hemoglobin – understand, at ikamet ?!

Some relocators from the Russian Federation are also ready to provide shelter to the victims of the disaster in their homes: this can be seen from the announcements in social networks and in public. For example, in Mersin, which also shook a little, there are not so many Russians, but invitations like “Who was left without a roof, my house is for you. There is water, bread, a telephone …” most of all. In Marmaris, where the violence of the elements was almost not felt, the Russian-speaking community, by their own admission, is more busy conspiracy theories than help.

“Yesterday evening there was a shock, but today there are already hypotheses, including fabulous ones,” our compatriot says on condition of anonymity. – I also read all this, but at least I collected and sent a box of help, but many were not honored. When you only see horror on TV, it seems to some that “everything is exaggerated.” But they are worried that Istanbul has canceled all international flights.

– Are you going home?

– There are rumors that a tsunami is coming to Antalya, and this is being discussed. But where does the tsunami come from, it’s just snowing in Istanbul, flights are limited, only rescue planes to the disaster zones and from there. And international passengers will suffer until good weather. Earthquakes often occur in Turkey, although there has not been such a strong one for more than 20 years. But still, the savagery of fellow citizens constantly living here is sometimes simply amazing!

– Repeat the forecasts of all kinds of seismic astrologers?!

– And not only. They say, for example, that Turkey was shaken “for edification” – because Erdogan did not obey the United States.