Although though the little, gray house in southern Turkey that originally overlooked a road seems unaffected by the enormous earthquake that struck the region last week, it actually has one floor less.
In the 1,000-person settlement of Demirkopru, rubbish floating in murky water, cracked pavement, and crooked buildings surround the building.
Demirkopru has been divided in two as a result of the February 6 earthquake and its aftershocks, which devastated large portions of Turkey and Syria and killed more than 44,000 people.
“The houses sank four metres (13 feet),” said Mahir Karatas, a 42-year-old farmer and owner of the grey house. “The ground went up and down.”
Around Karatas’ home, a dozen structures appear to have experienced God’s wrath. Inside the ruins of a farm shed, a black and white cow’s body is caught in dried muck.
Luckily, despite the extensive damage, nobody perished in Demirkopru, though some people were hurt.
Rescue operations in Hatay province have mostly concentrated on Antakya, a historic city that has been destroyed by the earthquake and is located 12.5 miles (20 kilometers) from Demirkopru.
Residents reported that during the tremor, underground water rose and then stagnated.
The ornately paved road no longer exists. Some bits are now a metre higher than others.
“Here, it became like an island,” Murat Yar, a 38-year-old roofer, said.
“It went up, down, up, down, and then it slid down 30 metres. We saw water and sand gushing out,” he added, mimicking the tremor’s waves with his hands.
