The Suffering of Turkish Citizens: Inside the House Worried about Earthquakes, Outside the Buildings Brave the Cold Weather

Photo via Twitter @AlkhidmatOrg

TURKEY - Rescue efforts of Turkish citizens hit by a strong earthquake in the coming days could be hampered by difficult weather conditions.

In the region of Turkey around the epicenter of the first quake, heavy rains are expected. Meanwhile, the temperature is 3-4 degrees during the day and far below freezing at night.

About 3-5cm of snow will also fall, while further north in Turkey, heavier snowfall is expected.

At least 2,800 buildings are estimated to have been destroyed in the first quake this morning, meaning thousands of people were left without a shelter from the magnitude 7.8 quake.

An old woman wailed, waiting to hear from her brother-in-law and nieces trapped under the rubble.

Some young neighbors tried to cheer him up, saying: "They saved someone a few minutes ago, they will also save your family."

The woman wasn't really hopeful because her family lived on the ground floor of the 12-story building.

"They were on the ground floor, sleeping, I don't know if anyone would be able to reach them... and it was so cold, my baby would freeze under the rubble," she was quoted as saying by the BBC, Monday 6 February.

And suddenly, the crowd grew loud and applause rang out. They reach someone under the rubble. It wasn't his relative but still, he was glad someone was saved. But soon they were confirmed dead, and a deep silence dominated the crowd.

Conditions in the city of Turkey is cold. Occasionally it rains and there are aftershocks.

No one dared their house. They were too scared to go home to get some jackets and shoes.