About 47,000 people have died and many historical sites are in ruins after the catastrophic earthquake in Turkey and Syria took place on February 6 this year.
One of the world's oldest mosques – the Habib Najjar Mosque – in the Turkish city of Antakya is almost completely destroyed.
Mehmet Ismet survived the earthquake, and has now moved into the ruins of the mosque.
- As it is now, ten years is not enough to build up the city.
The country is simply gone.
It takes a lot of time and a lot of money, he tells Reuters and continues:
- Every day they dig up 20-30 bodies.
All people cry from the depths of their hearts.
They are so sad, so sad.
Rebuilt in the 19th century
The city of Antakya was founded in 300 BC.
and has been a junction for several cultures and religions.
Over the centuries, the Habib Najjar Mosque has been destroyed several times, most recently in 1853 – also after an earthquake.
Many now believe that buildings in Turkey and Syria should have withstood the earthquake better, and a number of construction contractors around the region are being accused of construction fraud.
Several are being investigated by the police, and Antakya resident Bulent Cifcifli believes that precisely the fraudulent construction is a reason why his hometown is now in ruins.
- The racial masses that exist here have been caused by man.
They have not built properly.
If they had done that, some houses would still have been left, Bulent Cifcifli told Reuters, adding:
- It belonged to history.
And now the story is also gone.