Tom,

Thanks again fro your thoughtful notes.

Can't say life normal, but in areas without damage not to far away from it.
Plenty of food.  No hoarding.  Delivery trucks seem to be bringing in normal
loads on a daily basis, just like before.  Of course, things will be taxed
by the demands of the rescue and restoration, but looks like the suffering
will be for those who were injured or who lost loved ones.  And what a lot
of suffering that will be.  Do have access to my building.  It is on solid
ground and is older, which in Turkey ironically means safer.  Still, spent
two of the last three nights sleeping outside, with millions of others.
Again, my buddy Ismail keeps coming through for me (Sukran too) and have
been able to enjoy his and his friends' company.  On these nights, every
open space not too close to a building seems to be filled with people
sleeping on blankets, jackets, etc.  Some have strung string between things
trees and other things you can tie string too and with sheets made
relatively cozy little spots for themselves.  It continues to amaze me how
kind and caring Turks are and how safe it is here (though I did hear of one
poor old fellow got his shoes stolen; perhaps he simply absent mindely
misplaced them).  Everyone, though, is tramatized, tired and sad.  And what
you read about impact on attempts to get economy, which has been hit hard by
Russian crisis, going unfortuantely appear right on the mark.  Wish Turkey
all the luck in the world.  It will need it.

Able to watch the local news, though obviously don't understand a lot of
what they're saying.  Still, the pictures tell enough.

More later.  Nice to know you're thinking about me.  Let dad and mom know
not taking any chances that weren't there already.

Love,

Mark


>From: <tskilling@tribune.com>
>To: markskilling@hotmail.com
>Subject: Concern about you from back home--THURSDAY evening 10 PM cdt
>Date: Thu, 19 Aug 1999 22:41:27 -0500
>
>           Dear Mark,
>           We continue to follow your e-mails and the news reports on the
>      earthquke disaster there. Wanted to drop you a note before heading
>      home for the night. I'm concerned about your well being and wondering
>      if you've dared---or have been allowed---back in your apartment. News
>      reports here indicate many are sleeping outside---and being
>encouraged
>      to do so by the goverment there who fears buildings have been
>weakened
>      and may succomb to powerful afterschocks. Reportedly the Kandilli
>      Observatory there reported 210 aftershocks in just 2 hours today
>      (Thursday).
>           Reports we're getting here put the death toll at 7,000 with
>      34,000 injured. The UN says 35,000 are still buried and feared dead
>      and its experts are saying most who are saved after a disaster like
>      this are saved in the first 48 hours---it's been at least 40 hours as
>      I write this to you. They say the smell of decomposing bodies is
>      flooding some sections of the country's hardest hit cities and that
>      there is fear of spreading disease.
>           I see the US has ordered 2,100 Marines and 1,000 Navy sailors in
>      and told them to step up rescue efforts.  We're also told something
>      like 17 countries--including Israel, Germany, France, Britain and
>      Japan are dispatching rescue teams and equipment. The news wires and
>      television reports are covering other U.S. rescuers who are heading
>      over but fear it's too late.
>           It sounds from your e-mails like your neighborhood escaped the
>      worst of the damage.  But, I wonder how safe you feel your building
>is
>      after the shake it endured. Also wonder whether you can get adequet
>      food and water and whether phone and electrical service is regular
>and
>      reliable. I can't tell you how relieved we were to receive the quick
>      communication minutes the other night.  We'd have been worried sick
>      about your well-being.  Clearly, news reports center on the hardest
>      hit areas--so it's hard to picture how normal your life is in the
>wake
>      of the quake. There is real concern being expressed on our news here
>      about how the masses left homeless by this disaster are going to be
>      housed in the coming cold season---which isn't all that far away.  I
>      also saw a notation on one of the wire stories that recent economic
>      moves--termed "fairly severe" in news reports--by the government
>there
>      to get inflation under control made this an especially inoportune
>time
>      for this disaster to hit.
>           Hope you're doing all right, Mark and I join Dad in urging care.
>      I guess they had a 5 point something quake north of SFO just the
>other
>      evening and the disaster there has the earthquake concerns in
>      vulnerable parts of this country very much in the news. The Turkey
>      quake has led national news here since it happened and a new cable
>      system installed in my building lets me see all the CNN
>      services--including CNN International---so I think I'm seeing what
>you
>      can see of CNN there.
>           Please be careful and keep us posted on how you're doing. We
>      really appreciate all of your e-mails to date.
>          I love you, Mark!
>
>                                                     Tom
>


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