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Reuters
Reuters
Environment
By Marco Trujillo

Turkish bulldozer operator prays for bodies to allow families a grave

Akin Bozkurt operates a bulldozer at the site of collapsed buildings, taking part in the efforts to find bodies under rubble, in the aftermath of the deadly earthquake, in Kahramanmaras, Turkey, February 18 2023. REUTERS/Marco Trujillo

As his bulldozer claws at the rubble of buildings destroyed by this month's earthquake, operator Akin Bozkurt consoles himself that by finding bodies he gives family members the chance to have a funeral for loved ones and a grave where they can mourn.

"Would you pray to find a dead body?" he asked. "We do...to deliver the body to the family."

A view shows a mass grave for victims of the earthquake, in the aftermath of a deadly earthquake, in Kahramanmaras, Turkey, February 18 2023. REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne

Bozkurt, 42, travelled to Kahramanmaras, the southern Turkish city closest to the epicentre of the devastating quake 12 days ago from his home town of Kayseri, 250 km (155 miles) north, to help with the demolition of destroyed buildings.

"You recover a body from under tonnes of rubble. Families are waiting with hope...they want to have a burial ceremony. They want a grave," Bozkrut said.

According to Islamic tradition, the dead should be buried as quickly as possible.

A view shows coffins at a mass grave for victims of the earthquake, in the aftermath of a deadly earthquake, in Kahramanmaras, Turkey, February 18 2023. REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne

At a graveyard in the city, the thousands of new graves vastly outnumbered those which predated the earthquake, underlining the scale of the catastrophe.

More than 46,000 people in Turkey and Syria were killed by the earthquake and the toll is expected to climb even higher.

Bozkurt said that while he was at work with his bulldozer a father, warming himself at a fire by the ruins of his former home, asked him to find his daughter.

A view shows coffins at a mass grave for victims of the earthquake, in the aftermath of a deadly earthquake, in Kahramanmaras, Turkey, February 18 2023. REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne

"He told us, 'please find a piece of her so I would know where her grave is'. This is really tragic."

"We are trying to find happiness from the saddest moment in their lives."

(Writing by Malgorzata Wojtunik and Alexandra Hudson, Editing by Angus MacSwan)

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