Wisam Afisa, 37, a British-Syrian dual citizen, has been walking through the streets of Aleppo in pyjamas, boots and a parka since Monday. “I am lucky to have these. The situation is catastrophic here. You can’t imagine the destruction,” he said.
“I have seen eight people being pulled dead from the rubble, and none being pulled out alive. Others I heard shouting for help. Locals are digging, civilians are using their trucks, we have no bulldozers, little fuel. My priest from my Orthodox church and a family friend are still under rubble.”
Usually based in Beirut, Afisa, who works for a British education company, was visiting relatives in the city with his girlfriend when Monday’s earthquake hit, causing the family to frantically flee their homes.
As a result of the earthquake, at least 3,162 people have been confirmed dead in Syria, with government-held areas reporting 1,262 people dead and 1,900 killed in the rebel-controlled north-west. The combined tally in Turkey and Syria now stands at 17,176, and experts say that figure is likely to continue to rise.
“The house was shaking so hard we couldn’t walk down the corridor. We panicked and were terrified, and sat on the floor. Then we ran outside, in pyjamas,” Afisa said.
“My parents’ flat is on the fourth floor of a new building, which now has cracks. We stayed in the streets the whole night after the first quake, in my father’s car. It was raining and 2C. We will soon run out of fuel. The second [quake] happened when I briefly went back inside to get my passport in the afternoon. My car was damaged by falling [debris]. We don’t have shelter, and like most people we are in the streets – my parents, uncles and their families.
“Some people are staying in churches or mosques that have opened as shelters. Many have arrived in this part of Aleppo from the other side of the city, which is almost completely destroyed.”
Afisa said he was only able to grab his passport and a bag containing some cash, bank cards, chargers and winter clothes from the flat, which is deemed unsafe to return to.
“I had some coats in my car that I gave to strangers, but we cannot return to our houses [for more supplies] – they might collapse. There are still aftershocks, I’ve counted over 30 since Monday night.
“My grandmother is 86. My uncle and I carried her out of his flat on the second floor. She has a walker we couldn’t take, so she is now unable to move around and has been in the car ever since. I don’t think my family will be able to return to their homes.”
Afisa has been visiting a shelter at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Elijah the Prophet in the northern centre of Aleppo, and said the only food and water supply to reach it between Monday and Wednesday evening came from three Russian army lorries. When he visited, about 1,300 people were crowded inside the church with nowhere else to go.
“The three hospitals that are still functioning are full. My girlfriend is Armenian and her embassy is trying to get us out. We will also try to reach Beirut by road, but they are currently blocked by cars and ruins. The train station is destroyed. Internet is not working regularly here,” he said.
“The people here have had war for almost 12 years. They have no resources. We need water, food, blankets, fuel, electricity generators, trucks, doctors, a field hospital, rescue teams, and medical equipment. This is a humanitarian emergency. We hope help will come.”
