El Pasoans coming together in prayer for the victims of the brutal earthquake in Turkey and Syria

UPDATE - Both native Turks and El Pasoans coming together in prayer, as the death toll in Turkey and Syria has risen above 21,000 as of Thursday evening.

Thursday night's event included an opening state from Raindrop Turkish House Director, Lutfi Dagci. The speech was followed by prayers in Arabic and Turkish.

Members of the Interfaith Alliance of the Southwest also took the time to speak, showing solidarity with the Turkish members of the El Paso community.

"Us being able to be present with each other and in community, it helps each, especially those who are going through the suffering, to be able to see they're not alone," said Deborah Clugy-Soto, chair of Interfaith Alliance of the Southwest.

A link for donations towards relief efforts for Turkey and Syria can be found here.

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- El Paso's Raindrop Turkish House is hosting a public community prayer gathering Thursday evening following Sunday's earthquake in Syria and Turkey.

The Raindrop Turkish House website says its mission is to promote friendship and diversity, especially between Turkish and American cultures.

As of Thursday afternoon, the death toll is over 20,000, according to the New York Times.

The earthquake's epicenter was in northern Syria, coming in with a magnitude of 7.8, with an aftershock of 7.5, according to information from the U.S. Geological Survey.