Meet the father-of-three who gave up living in a house and moved into a CAVE... because it's 'safer than man-made structures'
A Turkish father has been living in a cave for more than two years after his house was destroyed by an earthquake, despite it meaning he no longer lives with his family.
Ali Bozoğlan, 55, had his house levelled in the devastating earthquakes of February 2023 which killed more than 50,000 people in Turkey and Syria and left cities on both sides of the border in ruins.
The earthquakes affected Mr Bozoğlan so badly after it destroyed his family home in Hatay, Antakya - where he previously lived with his wife and three kids - that he now lives alone in the cave just a few miles from where the catastrophe had struck.
Speaking in an interview with Turkish media, the 55-year-old told how he now chooses to fend off mice and removes snakes from his bed at night than live in a man-made structure ever again.
However, his wife and children have chosen to stay in traditional housing.
The father-of-three sleeps on a mattress which is wedged up against the cave's walls, gathers whatever food he can find throughout a day and while he suffers from a lack of electricity, he is hoping to get solar panels soon.
He says the panels will help to power his washing machine and refrigerator, as he currently hand washes his clothes and cannot keep his food chilled in the fridge.
And despite the peculiar lifestyle he now lives, Mr Bozoğlan has defended his reasonings for living in the cave, saying that it brings him 'peace'.
Ali Bozoğlan, 55, had his house destroyed in the devastating earthquakes of February 2023 which hit Turkey and Syria; now he lives in a nearby cave on his own
The father-of-three sleeps on a mattress wedged up against the cave's walls, gathers whatever food he can find throughout a day and is hoping to get solar panels soon
Despite now living away from his wife and three kids, the 55-year-old says he feels at 'peace' in the cave
'I spend my days washing dishes and laundry,' he told Gazete Duvar.
'I clean. I prepare the food I will eat. I have beautiful memories in the cave. I am far away from everyone and in touch with nature.
'Uneducated people make negative comments about my living in the cave because they do not sit with me, do not chat with me, and do not know me.
'May their intelligence be abundant.'
The 55-year-old said he feels safe in the cave as it has been there for thousands of years without collapsing.
Mr Bozoğlan also told how he rejected offers of housing from the government because he now feels at home in the cave, and has even welcomed visitors who have been passing on their travels.
Mr Bozoğlan is hoping to power his washing machine soon with solar panels, as he currently hand washes his clothes
He fetches water and fresh food every day, though he cannot keep things chilled properly in his fridge as it is not connected to electricity
The 55-year-old said he has 'beautiful memories in the cave' and says those who make negative comments about his living situation are 'uneducated'
He also said the cave's lack of windows means it always stays warm, though the wide openings make for some unwelcome guests.
'Since there are no windows in the cave, it stays warm inside,' he said.
'No matter how much snow, rain, cold, or frost there is, I never feel cold.
'Snakes and rats come to the cave from time to time. I have a few prayers for snakes. When I pray, they go away.
'Three months ago, there was a snake in my bed. When I went to bed, I saw the snake standing in front of me. I took the curtain, caught it and said, "Go away, blessed one," and let it outside.'
Mr Bozoğlan found the cave after riding on his motorcycle to the area located within the borders of the Yaylıca neighborhood in the Samandağ district.
The area is roughly 35 minutes away from where his house was destroyed during the earthquakes.
The deadly quake killed more than 50,000 people across both Turkey and Syria
Residents fled from homes in terror in cities across southeast Turkey and Syria, taking shelter in cars fearing aftershocks and collapsing buildings
The catastrophic 7.8-magnitude earthquake rocked Turkey and Syria in early February 2023, flattening entire neighbourhoods while many families were still asleep.
Tremors from the deadly quake - which lasted about a minute - were felt as far away as Egypt, Lebanon and the island of Cyprus, while a tsunami warning was briefly issued by authorities in Italy along the country's coast.
Residents were jolted awake and fled from their homes in terror into the cold, rainy and snowy night across southeast Turkey and northern Syria, taking shelter in cars from a wave of at least 40 aftershocks and collapsing buildings.
The quake was centred north of Gaziantep, Turkey, which is about 60 miles from the Syrian border and has a population of bout 2 million. The region is home to large numbers of Syrian refugees.
It struck at 04:17 am local time on February 6, 2023, (0117 GMT) at a depth of about 11 miles, the US Geological Survey said.
A strong 6.7 aftershock rumbled about 10 minutes later, causing more havoc. Turkey's own agency said 40 aftershocks were felt.
Nearly 3,000 buildings collapsed as a result of the quake.
Many areas from the regions have still not recovered from its devastating impacts.
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