Turkish off-road riders take a break to help quake victims

By Mehmet Solmaz

KAHRAMANMARAS, Türkiye (AA) – Members of the Rize Off-Road Sports Club in Türkiye did not waste any time after hearing the news about the recent devastating earthquakes in the country’s south and quickly left for the region.

This time they did not use their large vehicles for rough and adventurous rides but for a lengthy journey down to the south of Türkiye.

“After speedy communication with the provincial authorities, we quickly gathered and took a trailer with our vehicles, which we now use for giving out basic humanitarian needs. The journey, which normally takes around eight hours, took 24 hours due to the harsh weather conditions. Snow and heavy traffic – we’ve experienced all sorts of obstacles while trying to reach Kahramanmaras,” said Orhan Kandemir, a member of the sports club.

The group is part of a larger circle of volunteers from Rize. They have not only brought basic needs but also necessary tools and vehicles to help rescue efforts.

"We’ve brought excavators, generators and rescue mission vehicles. We’ve also managed to prepare three trucks full of aid," said Kandemir.

Drawing attention to the harsh weather conditions, he said: “The nights are extremely cold. Even the water freezes. We have a stove here on the road to keep us warm, but we feel cold in the heart as the victims of the quake are trapped in the rubble in minus 5 degrees Celsius (23 Fahrenheit)” weather.

- ‘Here to stay as long as there is need’

The group said they have been in Kahramanmaras, the epicenter of the twin quakes, for a week with no showers and very little sleep in their vehicles. They said they may individually go back home for a few days but will also make sure there will be someone else covering their position.

Erkan Kismir, a businessman and off-road rider from Rize, is standing at a tent giving out medical and clothing items. Next to him is his friend Hasan who gives out tea and coffee to all those on the road, who are either helping the victims or waiting for their loved ones to be pulled from the rubble.

“We knew about the cold weather before our arrival, so we even brought hand creams and lotions. Dozens of volunteers rapidly prepared bakery items in their homes. All the initial donations were quickly prepared before our departure,” said Kismir, adding they did not forget to bring books too, especially for the teenagers.

The Rize group not only operates in the Kahramanmaras city center but also takes vans with humanitarian needs to rural regions.

“We drove for 125 kilometers (77 miles) to reach a remote village. They were really desperate. We will continue distributing aid. We’re now in preparations to bring over wood and coal for those staying outdoors in the tents,” Kismir said.

On Feb. 6, two massive earthquakes struck southern Türkiye, centered in Kahramanmaras and shaking nine other provinces – Hatay, Gaziantep, Adiyaman, Malatya, Adana, Diyarbakir, Kilis, Osmaniye, and Sanliurfa.

The magnitude 7.6 and 7.7 tremors also hit several countries and caused destruction in northern Syria.

More than 31,600 people were killed in Türkiye, according to the latest official figures, while death toll topped 3,600 in Syria.