A FAMILY who have relatives living in the part of Turkey hit by two devastating earthquakes this week are appealing for donations of essentials to help those affected.

Yusuf and Rhian Kilinc of Taff Road in Caldicot have already taken several carloads of essentials such as baby formula and candles to a Bristol mosque for shipment to the disaster zone.

They are continuing the appeal for items such as blankets, coats, hats, gloves, boots, clothes of all sizes, powdered baby food and milk, nappies and hygiene products.

Mrs Kilinc said: “Immediateley we need nappies, powdered baby milk, powdered baby food, blankets, coats, hats, scarves.

“The mosques are trying to send out basic supplies to people that’s why I put out an appeal on Facebook asking for donations and we’ve had a massive response.

“As far as we are aware the mosques will be constantly collecting and sending lorries.” 

Mr Kilinc said candles were desperately needed because the power supply has been badly affected.

Mr Kilinc’s family live in the town of Besni in the south-east of the country which has been badly damaged by the earthquakes earlier this week.

The town has a population of around 35,000.

Mr and Mrs Kilinc say it is a “miracle” that none of his family have been killed but he knows several people who have lost loved ones.

Mr Kilinc said his “heart is in pieces” for the people who have been affected by the disaster which has so far claimed some 12,000 lives.

He described how his father, who was awake when the first quake struck at around 4am, woke his mother and they ran from their flat.

With communications badly hit, the family were only able to make contact the day after the earthquakes.

Mrs Kilinc said: “It’s just been a mad blind panic for us, we were scrambling to find any information.

“We are lucky our family is OK, homeless but OK.”

Mr Kilinc is also fund-raisng for disaster relief and has asked people to pray for those affected.

The couple’s children, Alex and Abeen are spreading the word about the appeal.

Mrs Kilinc said: “We would like to thank everyone who has donated.”

Donations can be taken to the Kilinc’s home at 88 Taff Road, Caldicot NP26 4PY or to any mosque.