Thoughts on the Earthquake

 The earthquakes in Turkey  levelled 10 cities. 

Tens of thousands dead.  Houses fell, street after street, leaving nothing but piles of rubble.

I've tried to write  several times but it's so difficult. Can you imagine having to run for your life, terrified, in the dead of night, in a freezing mid winter, in your pyjamas.

Now you're mourning the death of loved ones.  You're maybe completely alone, family and friends dead, crushed as their homes collapsed. You yourself have nothing. No house, no job, no bank card. No smartphone, no any-phone. No identity. You're in some sort of shelter hoping for something to eat .  Or maybe you've left, been flown to the other side of the country to temporary accomadation. In shock. 

How about the hundreds of unidentified children. Frightened, hoping to be reunited with their mother, father, brothers or sisters. Family. 

8 days later there are still a few survivors being rescued from the ruins. Eight days of despair probably losing consciousness in a  freezing space which could be your coffin. Hoping for the sound of human activity. 

And that's in Turkey. How about Syria where millions of refugees already live in tents, in  camps, hoping each day for food, water. Having relief supplies being held up by civil war, closed borders, armed rebels.

Greek and Turkish foreign Ministers embrace 

Neighbour helps neighbour in times of disaster.  

Poros residents donate clothes, food, medical supplies to earthquake victims.  There were donation points in every town in Greece yesterday gathering relief supplies.  I hope they get to the people that need them, fast.