Osman Enes born during1999 Izmit quake, killed in southern Türkiye earthquakes

By Mehmet Akif Parlak

GAZIANTEP, Türkiye (AA) - Osman Enes Basturk, who was born the day of the 1999 earthquake in the Golcuk district in northwestern Kocaeli, was killed in southeastern Gaziantep province when twin quakes hit the region Feb. 6.

His mother Asiye Basturk said she woke up with a jolt at night and pushed her husband against the wall but as she tried to go to her children, the wall fell on her.

Her eldest son Osman Enes and brother Emirhan were sleeping in the same room when the 7.7-magnitude quake hit, centered in the Kahramanmaras province.

"My son Osman Enes was born in Gaziantep during the Golcuk earthquake that occurred in 1999. He died in the earthquake in Nurdagi in 2023,” she said, referring to the Gaziantep district where the family lives.

“He was brave and like a mountain,” she said.

"I said Osman Enes is strong, he will save his brother. My son shielded himself from his brother, but he could not save himself. He put his hand on his shoulder. My younger son came out from under the rubble,” said Basturk.

“But he could not come out,” she said, adding that Osman Enes was in the hospital the night of the 1999 quake.

“He was born during that earthquake and he died in this earthquake. My heart is burning," she said.

Emirhan, who was injured in the earthquake, said he slept in the same room with his brother the night of the earthquake.

He said he was very afraid at the time of the tremor, describing the terrifying moments.

"When the earthquake struck, we hugged each other. At that time, I fainted for a couple of minutes. I heard the sound of the building collapsing. The building collapsed completely. My brother was lying near me, lifeless,” he said.

“My father's voice was coming from outside while my mother's voice was from the inside. I called my mother, she answered me. My mother asked me how my brother was doing and I said there was no sound coming from him,” he said.

The family moved into the house three days before the quake struck.

"We went on Friday. We furnished the house on Saturday and Sunday, so we got tired. I got up to pray at around 3 a.m. on the night of the earthquake. Then the earthquake happened,” said their father, Mehmet Basturk.

“The building suddenly collapsed. I went out by my own means. I was cold. A driver came, I bought his coat. Then relatives came, we rescued my wife and little son. If they had not come, my family would have died," he said.

The Ministry of Health announced that 4,627 babies have been born in the earthquake zone since the quakes hit.

*Writing by Emre Basaran