Exactly three years to the minute after the first tremor, silence descended across 11 southern provinces as thousands gathered in darkness, holding vigils to honor the tens of thousands killed in the catastrophic Feb. 6, 2023 earthquakes.
On that day, the region was shattered by two powerful earthquakes within nine hours, beginning with a magnitude 7.7 tremor that lasted a harrowing 65 seconds while millions were still asleep.
At 1:24 p.m., a second magnitude 7.6 earthquake hit, compounding the devastation.
According to official figures, the catastrophe claimed at least 53,537 people and left 107,213 injured, affecting 13 million in total.
As the third anniversary broke, the heavy weight of these numbers translated into a somber pre-dawn stillness, with commemorations beginning in the early hours.
In all 11 affected cities, citizens observed a 65-second moment of silence at 4:17 a.m., symbolizing the duration of the first earthquake.
From main streets to central squares, silent marches flowed through the darkness, culminating in the somber echoes of the national anthem and heartfelt prayers for the fallen.
In several cities, representatives of three monotheistic religions offered prayers together, underscoring the shared grief.
In Hatay, red carnations were thrown into the Asi River in memory of those who died.
Many participants carried photographs of loved ones lost under the rubble.
For many families, the pain has not softened with time, especially for those who have never recovered the bodies of their loved ones.
Trapped in a haunting limbo, some families tirelessly sift through forensic records for closure, while others turn away, unable to face the agony of the search.
While the missing remain a haunting uncertainty for some, others found their way to cemeteries long before dawn.
In Kahramanmaraş, families cleaned graves, placed flowers, read prayers and embraced each other in tears.
Fires were lit against the cold as survivors shared memories in the darkness.
Among them was Mesut Hançer, whose image holding the hand of his 16-year-old daughter Irmak Leyla under the rubble became one of the most haunting symbols of the disaster.
Standing at her grave once again, he said the pain has never eased.
“It is not something that fades. Not for a moment,” he said.
Amid the destruction, acts of compassion are still remembered.
One such story resurfaced on the anniversary: Beliz Aydın, who was 16 at the time of the quake, reunited with a retired army colonel who had given her his coat while she waited anxiously by the rubble in freezing temperatures.
She kept the coat for three years, a symbol of safety during the darkest hours.
Beyond the staggering loss of life and stories of survival amidst the ruins, the tremors reduced hundreds of thousands of homes, hospitals and ancient heritage sites to rubble.
With an economic toll exceeding $100 billion, the disaster stands as one of the costliest in modern history.
Massive reconstruction efforts continue, with hundreds of thousands of housing units delivered, though rebuilding is still underway.
