The death toll has now reached 19,000 from those massive earthquakes that struck Turkey and Syria on the weekend.

Efforts continue to try to locate people trapped under the rubble of destroyed buildings.

The local Turkish and Syrian communities are watching the unfolding tragedy closely and with great anguish.

Ayse Akinturk of St. John’s survived the massive earthquake that struck the Turkish city of Istanbul back in 1999 and says the latest disaster is bringing it all back.

She says the affected area is in the southeastern portion of the country, well removed from Istanbul, but seeing the extent of the destruction is hard.

She knows what it’s like to live through a massive earthquake but what the people in the south eastern area are facing now is far, far worse.

Akinturk says a Turkish friend living in St. John’s is from the affected area, and while his family is safe, they’re left homeless in the middle of winter.

She says her friend’s parents managed to escape, but they are unable to return to their homes because of the damage caused and the fear of collapse.