The boss of a Dagenham cafe who has family in Turkey has began a fundraiser to support those impacted by the earthquake disaster.
Sibel Kussan, director of The Snack Bar, in Heathway, has been working with organisations to coordinate donations.
She revealed that her family based in Turkey did “feel the wave” from the 7.8-magnitude earthquake which hit the south-east of the country and neighbouring Syria on February 6.
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More than 35,000 people have died, with the death toll expected to rise with destroyed buildings still being cleared.
Sibel said: “It’s horrible. I can’t describe it.
“I can’t find the right word to describe it because what we seeing on the TV and news and what we’re watching is unbearable.
“I do feel their pain.”
Donations can be left at the Snack Bar for the next couple of weeks, Sibel said.
The collection fund will be sent to Ahbap, a cooperative movement, which is raising money for the disaster.
Sibel said about the people affected by the earthquake: “They lost everything.
“Obviously they are going to need some places to live in, and they need to eat."
The UK government has sent out a 77-member search and rescue team to help discover survivors.
Alongside the search and rescue team, the government said it has given essential items like tents and blankets to support an estimated 15,000 people.
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