A Sydney man who was visiting his sister in Turkey has been found dead after a devastating earthquake killed more than 12,000 people in the region.
Can ‘John’ Pahali, from Glebe in the city’s Inner West, was on holiday in Hatay when the devastating 7.8 and 7.5 magnitude tremors hit southeastern Turkey and Syria on Monday.
Mr Pahali’s family in Australia were in touch with him a few hours before the earthquake but feared the worst when they didn’t hear from him.
His nephew travelled to Turkey to try and find him, with his niece revealing he didn’t survive the disaster on Thursday.
‘A sad update. In recent hours John’s body has been recovered from earthquake rubble in Turkiye,’ a Facebook post to the Glebe community forum read.
Can ‘John’ Pahali, from Glebe in the city’s Inner West, was on holiday in Hatay when the devastating 7.8 and 7.5 magnitude tremors hit southeastern Turkey and Syria on Monday
‘He has had a wonderful six months reuniting with his large family in different areas of his country. He is now with his beloved Jesus’.
His niece, Katherine Pahali, told 9News her brother ‘couldn’t get there fast enough’.
‘A piece of my heart passed away,’ she said.
‘He was left to die for over 60 hours.’
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is assisting about 40 Australians and their families who were in the earthquake area.
In a previous post, the friend said Mr Pahali would be remembered for ‘making wonderful feasts and food for Have A Chat Cafe’.
He has had a wonderful six months reuniting with his large family in different areas of his country. He is now with his beloved Jesus’ Mr Pahali’s family said
Mr Pahali is one of several Australians feared to have been caught up in the Turkey earthquake disaster.
‘The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is aware of a small number of Australians reported to be in the region at the time of the earthquake and impacted by the disaster,’ a spokesperson said.
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‘DFAT is providing consular assistance to those families and is urgently seeking the assistance of local authorities, including rescue teams.
‘Our missions in Ankara, Istanbul, and Beirut are monitoring the situation closely.
His niece, Katherine Pahali, told 9News her brother ‘couldn’t get there fast enough’. Rescuers are pictured in Turkey
‘Australians affected by the earthquakes and the aftershocks are advised to follow the directions of local authorities.’
Almost 12,000 people are now known to have died in Turkey and Syria since Monday’s powerful earthquakes, with many thousands more still missing.
Families have said they can hear their relatives calling from inside collapsed buildings, but are powerless to reach them.
The earthquakes were felt in multiple countries across the Middle East, with Turkey and its war-torn southern neighbour Syria the worst affected.
Can Pahali (pictured with niece Catherine) was found dead after a massive earthquake in Turkey
Thousands of people in both countries are known to have been killed. In Turkey entire apartment blocks crashed to the ground in a matter of seconds following the quakes, trapping families inside and killing thousands.
The United States Geological Survey, which has recorded more than 60 earthquakes and aftershocks in the region in the last 24 hours. Countries from across the world have offered aid, with rescue workers from Europe, Asia and the Americas all flying in to help the efforts of the emergency services.
Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has declared seven days of national mourning, while buildings in Israel and Bosnia have been lit up in memory of those who have died.
Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has declared seven days of national mourning, while buildings in Israel and Bosnia have been lit up in memory of those who have died
The initial 7.8-magnitude night-time tremor, followed hours later by a slightly smaller one, wiped out entire sections of major Turkish cities in a region filled with millions of people who have fled the civil war in Syria and other conflicts.
The later 7.5-magnitude quake struck at 1.24pm (1024 GMT) two-and-a-half miles southeast of the town of Ekinozu and around 60 miles north of the first quake that has wrought devastation across Turkey and Syria.
Turkey is in one of the world’s most active earthquake zones, sitting in a fault line.
