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For the survivors of the huge earthquakes that hit Turkey and northern Syria – where the death toll has risen to more than 41,000 people - the routine of everyday life has been shattered. And the human tragedies of all the deaths have sent ripples of grief through families around the world.

Journalist Rachelle Bonja grew up in Aleppo in Syria, and regularly returned home to see relatives. She was there a month ago. That was the last time Rachelle saw her father, Majdi Francois Bonja. He died in the earthquake last Monday. Rachelle told ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Newsday where she was when the quake struck.

“I was in my home in New York and working late through the night, and then I found out there was an earthquake... I started panicking and then I started getting photos from Aleppo where my dad and grandmothers live. It was a long, long night... He was living in a building that collapsed. They were looking for him for ten hours which felt like an eternity for me. That morning I found out that he had passed away."

(Pic: Rachelle Bonja and Majdi Francois Bonja; Credit: Rachelle Bonja)

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