Syrian man living in West Yorkshire speaks of devastation caused by earthquake
Sleman Shwaish lost contact with his parents during the chaos
Last updated 8th Feb 2023
A Syrian man living in West Yorkshire has told us his country desperately needs more help following the devastating earthquakes there.
More than 11,100 people are now known to have died in Syria and Turkey following the two huge quakes which hit on Monday.
Tens of thousands of people have been injured as search and rescue workers race to pull survivors from the rubble in freezing temperatures.
Sleman Shwaish grew up in Qamishlo, a city in northeastern Syria, before studying in Aleppo. He then came over to the UK in 2012.
He now runs the café ‘Moot’ in Huddersfield and also works for Leeds City Council as a resettlement officer.
He’s told us about his desperate wait for information after being cut off from his parents during the earthquakes:
Sleman’s parents did make it to safety, but he tells us they are struggling mentally and still in a state of shock. He adds that no shops or markets are open so nobody can get supplies, and the country does not have the resources or trained staff to deal with this situation.