Turkiye and Syria Earthquake Appeal
March 12th Update
Just over a month ago, magnitude 7.8 and 7.5 earthquakes struck southeast Türkiye on the morning of Monday 6th February 2023. There were thousands of significant aftershocks in the weeks that followed.
It is reported that over 230,000 buildings1 were destroyed or badly damaged over quite a large region of Turkiye, and for that reason, it will take a long time for missing people to be accounted for. In northwest Syria, many buildings were also destroyed but is harder to get accurate figures.
March 4th Update
In Turkiye, 500 family care packs were
distributed this week. These included bags,
toothbrushes and toothpaste, creams, female
pads, comb, soaps, and shampoos. There are
also some non-perishable food items. To
lighten the mood of traumatized children, HF
distributed chocolates and footballs.
February 24th Update
This week, another 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck in Antakya on 20 February at around 21:30. There were a small number of deaths and some minor injuries, but mainly it resulted in panic and psychological trauma due to the ongoing major aftershocks.
February 11th Update
Specialist teams including medical are following from Europe and North America. Emergency aid materials such as 2,000 blankets, 30,000 pieces of clothing as well as clinical supplies are in the process of being shipped out to the region.
On Monday 6th February 2023, southeast Turkiye was hit by a magnitude 7.8 earthquake at 04:17 local time, the most powerful to strike the country since 1939. The epicentre was near Ataler in Gaziantep Province. Many buildings were destroyed and it is feared that thousands have been trapped in the rubble.
As authorities were responding, a second 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck just hours later at 13:30 local time with an epicentre at Ekinozu, also near Gaziantep.
The impact was severe in southern Turkiye and northwest Syria around Idlib. Thousands of rescue workers are on the scene and as they search through the rubble, the impact is becoming clearer. The latest picture is that over 35,000 people have died, almost 95,000 have been injured, and over 1 million are displaced in temporary accommodation.
Humanity First previously responded to the Izmir earthquake in 1999, and for over a decade, has been assisting Syrian refugees in the Gaziantep region of Turkey. Our team is assessing needs through the UN and local authorities, and is planning for emergency medical, shelter and food assistance as needed. The response is also likely to be hampered by the harsh winter weather conditions with heavy rain and snow impacting roads and those in temporary shelter.
