ROSEVILLE, Minn. — A death toll of more than 23,000 people continues to rise in Turkey.
Hicri Koroglu and his wife Nezahat knew some of the people who account for that number.
The couple in Roseville said they have received multiple updates from Adiyaman, the area they grew up.
They already know that a few friends are among the dead.
"I taught with them," said Nezahat Koroglu, who taught in Adiyaman for years.
Nezahat's nephew was in his five-story apartment when the earthquake hit Adiyaman.
"Fortunately, my youngest nephew's friends found them in the hospital. Alive," she said.
"The younger one took them out of the hospital because there were the dead bodies in his room," said Hicri. "The condition was so bad."
Hicri was the president of the Turkish American Association of Minnesota when the 1999 earthquake hit the region.
He worked to raise funds to send to Turkey back then, and the organization is working to send relief now.
Pinar Basgoze is now the president and she and other group members held a fundraiser from 5-9 p.m. Friday at Med Box Grill.
"It's extremely devastating," she said. "Now, we have been trying to reach out to our community as well as send help.
Semih Ayhan is one of the owners of Med Box Grill and will be accepting donations throughout the weekend.
"I was 11 years old when we had a huge earthquake in Turkey, in 1999," he said. "I know how devastating earthquakes can be."
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