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Massive Earthquakes in Southern Turkey: A Report on the Humanitarian Response and Recovery Efforts

On February 6, 2023, a massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Gaziantep in southern Turkey, with a second 7.6 magnitude earthquake occurring some nine hours later, close to Ekinozu city in Kahramanmaras province. The Turkish government declared a Level 4 alarm and called for international assistance due to widespread damage caused to homes and infrastructure. On February 7, a three-month state of emergency was announced in 10 affected provinces, including Adana, Adiyaman, Diyarbakir, Gaziantep, Hatay, Kahramanmaras, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye, and Sanliurfa. The total number of people directly affected in the 11 most affected provinces is around 9.1 million. As of February 18, the earthquake had killed 40,642 people, injured over 108,000, and displaced over 430,000.

Earthquake in Turkiye and Syria

The response to the earthquake is being coordinated by the Turkish government, with support from the Turkish Red Crescent and AFAD. The primary objective is to provide life-saving assistance to those affected by the earthquake. As of February 19, 65 United Nations classified and other international urban search and rescue teams, consisting of 3,273 personnel and 77 search and rescue dogs, are working in the provinces of Malatya, KahramanmaraÅŸ, Adiyaman, Gaziantep, and Hatay. An UNDAC team has been deployed to Gaziantep to support the coordination of USAR operations and provide situational and humanitarian needs analysis. A total of 191 international teams have concluded search and rescue operations and have demobilized.

Emergency medical teams (EMTs), coordinated by WHO in close collaboration with the Ministry of Health, continue to support hospitals and medical facilities that have been damaged, with a focus on trauma patients and catastrophic injuries. As of February 18, 29 EMTs are active in the country, following approval by the Ministry of Health.

Humanitarian aid is being provided by the international humanitarian community in support of the Turkish government’s efforts to aid those affected. As of February 16, 354 mobile kitchens, 86 catering vehicles, 38 mobile bakeries, and 330 service vehicles were dispatched to the region by TRC, AFAD, Ministry of National Defense, Gendarmerie, and NGO partners. A total of 386,874 tents have been received, and psychosocial support has been provided to a total of 498,225 people.

On February 7, the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) announced a $25 million aid package to support people in Turkey and Syria affected by the earthquake. On February 16, the United Nations launched an appeal for $1 billion to help 5.2 million people affected by the earthquake. The resources will help humanitarian organizations to ramp up their operations to support the government-led response efforts in the areas of food security, protection, education, water, and shelter.

The World Food Programme (WFP) has delivered food commodities to 42 municipal community kitchens in 33 municipalities across 11 provinces as of February 16. This will allow the municipalities to distribute cooked meals to 227,679 people over 14 days. Overall, WFP will reach 55 municipalities with food commodities. In addition, WFP delivered 19,200 family food packages to 96,000 affected people in Adana, Hatay, Kahramanmaras, Kilis, and Sanliurfa provinces. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has provided 6,000 shelters, and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has delivered 1 million litres of water to affected areas.

The earthquake has highlighted the need for adequate disaster preparedness and response measures in earthquake-prone regions like Turkey. The Turkish government has been praised for its prompt response to the disaster, but the scale of the destruction and the number of people affected highlights the need for continued support and assistance from the international community. As the recovery and rebuilding process begins, it is important to ensure that the most vulnerable populations, including women, children, and those with disabilities, are prioritized in the distribution of aid and assistance. Long-term efforts will also be needed to address the underlying issues of poverty, inequality, and inadequate housing that make communities more vulnerable to disasters.

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