A Glasgow business onwer says his family back home in Turkey have been living out of a car after his hometown was destroyed by the recent earthquake. Mehmet Sunna, 44, says Pazarcik in southern Turkey has been reduced to rubble following the natural disaster which has killed thousands of people.
Speaking to Glasgow Live, he explained that he remains in disbelief after seeing pictures of the remains of the town he grew up in. Mehmet was working on Monday when the tragedy unfolded and when he checked his phione he noticed he had over 200 missed calls from family - it was then he knew something truly awful must have happened.
He said "I decided to sleep in my office because I was setting up my showroom. I lay down on the couch and after I got up and checked my phone I had over 200 missed calls. One of my friends' cousins in Glasgow phoned me in a panic. I asked him if he was ok, he said 'yes, but our hometown is not ok'. I asked what he meant and he said there was no home left.
"He asked how I hadn't heard then I realised everyone tried to phone me, from family in Switzerland, Germany, all over. I opened the news and couldn't believe it. Pazarcik, where I was born, was destroyed. The tears started to come and my legs started to shake. I'm still in shock, I can't believe what is happening there.
"Half of the town is destroyed. I tried to phone my mum, sister and brother but nobody answered the phone, I didn't know what to do. I called my brothers in London and Switzerland they were panicking. They heard from them."
The businessman, owner of Sunna Salon Furniture in Glasgow, says his mum has been living out of a car with six other members of the family after they escaped the house. He explained how the family have been left with nothing and his brother was forced to camp out in park with his wife and children for three days.
The 44-year-old said: "I spoke to my mum, sister and brother the night before. They were all happy and watching TV. Now they are not warm and have no food and it's killing me. I'm sitting in my office and I feel ashamed, I can't do anything here. I can't eat, sleep or drink because how can I when I know my family are struggling there.
"The last three days my mum, my sister, her husband, my niece, her husband and their two kids, seven people, were living in one car. They are lucky because they had the car.
"My younger brother, his wife and three kids don't have a car, they made a fire in the park. They stayed in the park for three days with their five-year-old, eight-year-old and 11-year-old. He told me that he didn't have shoes, a jacket, nothing."
Sadly, not all of Mehmet's family survived the horrific tragedy. He continued: "My cousin had three kids. Two of them passed away. She held the baby as they ran out of their home but those two didn't make it. I can't explain it. Every five minutes I receive news that someone else has passed away, another body has been retrieved."
Mehmet revealed that he has struggled to cope initially but is now raising funds to ensure that those living in Pazarcik receive the items they so desperately need.
The businessman said: "Three days I've been trying to figure out how to get home. But I realised there is no point for me to go there and add more stress. So I'm staying here to collect donations and travel to Istanbul to buy whatever they need. I've made a list of things I need to take.
"They need blankets, jackets, boots, nappies, baby clothes, heaters, so I will buy them myself. I would go through a charity but I don't know if they will help my street, at least if I go I know I'm helping them. The people are suffering."
Mehmet is unsure exactly what he will be met with when he gets to his hometown. He said: "I don't know how I'm going to handle it. I can't stop crying at the pictures I've seen already. It's very difficult for us. Last year I went home because my mum wasn't well. Now when I go back I won't have any home to go to. We need to be strong so I can back home and help the people. We now need to help each other."
To donate to Mehmet's fundraiser click here.
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