A few hours after them earthquakesits inhabitants Antioch they slept anywhere: on dark street corners, in small city parks, next to an elementary school, and on a mountainside, right under one of the oldest Christian churches in the world.

All over Antioch, her ancient capital Hatay Provincewhich was hit harder than any other region by the earthquake, thousands of residents tried to emotionally come to terms with the catastrophic phenomenon that completely turned their lives upside down and left so many without shelter, material wealth, memories and even a future in the region.

Many simply tried to survive the night. The cars get very cold at night and most of them are not big enough to fit the whole family. However, even in a car it is warmer than in a tent, and those who have only a tarp to fight the cold are out of luck. No matter how much firewood and garbage the inhabitants burn, the cold remains unbearable.

They sleep outside

On Thursday, the inhabitants of the former Antioch slept on the streets for the fourth night. Many lost their homes in the earthquake, while others feared that the remaining buildings would collapse in a possible earthquake. Their fear was such that they avoided using even the few functioning toilets that were left in their apartments. “We will die in our chairs while we wait for the campaign tents,” says Sambridge Karaoglan, 70, sitting on a camp bench wrapped in a thin blanket.

Antioch, founded in 300 B.C. commander of Alexander the Great, it was destroyed and rebuilt many times. The Greeks, Romans and Byzantines called it the Hellenistic name of Antioch, and in its heyday it was the third largest city of the Roman Empire. Traces of Hellenistic, Roman and early Christian history are everywhere.

However, the historical review does not bring relief to the residents. “Antioch no longer exists. I lost my friends, the restaurant where we ate. I lost all my memories. I no longer have any reason to live in Hatay province. There is nothing else here,” says 41-year-old Kazim Kuseyri.

The historical center of the city was completely destroyed, where Islamic mosques, Christian temples, Alevi crypts and a Jewish synagogue were located in close proximity. “It hurts to see Independence Street full of ruins. It was the perfect place. I would prefer it to happen in my hometown,” said Ahmet Younes, a 34-year-old Kurdish farmer from Sanlıurfa who came to Antioch for a livestock fair.

With shops and restaurants closed or destroyed, the only food for residents is the delivery of humanitarian aid. Usually it is lentils with plain spaghetti, canned tuna and toast.

Another important problem for residents is communication with relatives and friends due to problems with telephone communication and lack of electricity. Dozens of residents crowd around trucks of electric vehicles to charge their mobile phones from the vehicle’s generators.

However, the biggest problem is the cold. Although humanitarian organizations have distributed blankets and warm clothes, residents continue to sleep in the parks, burning everything they can find to keep warm. Trucks and volunteers provided the townspeople with hot tea and soups, and the sun brought relief. However, with the onset of night, the hot race begins again.

A few days ago, the inhabitants of Antioch could not have imagined that their city would resemble an abandoned cemetery. “The province of Hatay is finished,” said Ibrahim Kaya, 55, who took refuge with relatives in the Antioch vegetable market. The only thing they managed to save from their ruined house was a bag of sweet pies. However, when a stranger enters their tent, Kaya’s relatives are not going to let him fast, offering him tea and what’s left of their bread.