Long road to recovery for Turkey earthquake survivors reports the 'NPR'

Six months after a devastating earthquake killed around 50,000 people in Turkey, survivors in the hard-hit city of Adiyaman are still struggling to rebuild their lives, reports 'NPR'.

Many survivors lost their homes and were displaced, some fleeing the area entirely. Those who have returned find a slow pace of reconstruction and remain dependent on aid as they await government approval to begin private rebuilding.

Families line up for handouts in makeshift facilities like a small bakery giving away free bread, uncertain when they'll regain self-sufficiency. The owner, Burhan, says his bakery was demolished and uses a temporary structure. With many unable to pay, others overpay so he can afford to donate loaves. Like most, he and his family now live outside Adiyaman, awaiting the go-ahead to rebuild.

Though President Erdogan touts progress, rubble still fills lots in the city. Displaced residents comb junkyard-like plots of quake debris to furnish patchwork homes. Emine, who just returned after five months away, is scavenging for a door to add to her damaged ground-floor apartment. With inner walls compromised, her family now sleeps on the roof as they slowly rebuild.

While promised government help is hoped for, the scope and timing remain unclear. Six months later, Adiyaman residents are still in limbo, many just trying to make fractured homes habitable again. But there is resilience amid the uncertainty and loss. With small steps like adding a door, families are working to piece lives back together, longing for the day. It feels like home again.