Quake survivors visit graves of their loved ones on Eid

Fevzi Kızılkoyun - HATAY

Türkiye marks the occasion of Eid al-Adha with conflicting emotions, as the 11 southern quake-hit provinces observe a somber Eid with quake survivors visiting the graves of their loved ones to pay their respects.

Eid was celebrated with bitterness in the quake-hit southern province of Hatay this year, where the earthquakes caused the greatest destruction. Earthquake survivors performed their Eid prayers in tents used as mosques in container cities, while many survivors went to the few mosques in the city that managed to stay unaffected by the deadly quakes.

Prayers were offered for those who lost their lives in the earthquakes during the morning Eid prayer. Cologne, candy and Turkish delight were distributed to those leaving the mosques.

Several survivors flocked to Narlıca Cemetery, where their loved ones who died in the earthquakes were buried.

The earthquake survivors prayed, sobbed, and decorated their loved ones’ graves with flowers, resulting in a heartbreaking scene.

It was also seen that some quake survivors planted saplings known as “hambeles” or “murt” at the graves of their relatives or loved ones, which are believed to reduce grave torment, a very old tradition of the region.

Meanwhile, quake survivors in the Nurdağı district of the southern province of Gaziantep, one of the places affected by the Feb. 6 quakes, continue to live in container cities. Citizens who are experiencing the sadness of spending the first Eid al-Adha after the disaster away from their homes also shed their tears at the graves of their lost relatives.

Durna Erenler, a quake survivor whose house was destroyed, stated that Eid al-Adha is a sad holiday this year.

“Last year our holidays were completely different. This year everything is in ruins. All our relatives are scattered somewhere else. We have no one left here,” she said.