Turkey–Syria Earthquake in 2023

On February 6, 2023, around 4:17 a.m. TRT, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit southern and central Turkey and northern and western Syria. It was followed by another magnitude of 7.5 after nine hours at 95 kilometers in the southwest.

The earthquake was the most devastating earthquake to hit Turkey in the last two decades. It hit Gaziantep in southern Turkey, which houses the Syrian refugees. The last time Turkey was hit with an earthquake of such magnitude was in 1939.

The Turkish government, in coordination with AFAD and the Turkish Red Crescent, is working on recovery and aid to those inflicted by the tragedy. Read below this article to find out complete information about the Turkey-Syria earthquake that occurred in 2023.

Türkiye (Turkey) and Syria Earthquake

At the start of the year, Turkey and Syria were hit by one of the most devastating earthquakes in the last 20 years. The magnitude 7.8 earthquake hit the country’s border in the early morning hours. It was followed by another earthquake just as powerful. The earthquake has turned into a humanitarian crisis. It has killed 50,783 people; 297 people are missing; and around 107,204 people are injured. The earthquake affected 17 provinces in Turkey.

It is estimated that around 15.73 million people were affected by the disaster, and around 4 million buildings were affected. The tragedy destroyed 345,00 apartments in the affected provinces, making millions of people homeless and without any financial support. And the aftershock is expected to continue for the foreseeable future.

The earthquake has destroyed schools, hospitals, and every other amenity needed for daily living. The water has been contaminated, and so people in the affected provinces are not even able to receive proper drinkable water. Many world governments, along with the UN and other non-profit organizations, have come forward to help the people of the Turkish region.

How is the Red Cross supporting the Red Crescent?

The earthquake had quite an impact on the Turkish people, as they’re trying to get back to their normal lives. People are displaced, some are still missing, and some are still roaming the affected area, trying to find shelter. Some are searching for their loved ones. The earthquake has caused not only physical but also mental, psychological, and emotional trauma. And that is where the Red Cross Red Crescent comes in. Red Crescent is a subsidiary of the American non-profit disaster relief organization, the Red Cross.

The Disaster Relief Organization is working on the borders of both affected nations to provide shelter, mental health services, medical help, and basic necessities.

Red Crescent has distributed over 100 million hot meals, 54,000 tents, and 2,00,000 blankets. More than 5000 volunteers are on the ground, providing food, clean water, shelter, and essential hygiene supplies. The Turkish Red Crescent, with the help of the Ministry of Health and the International Federation of Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), has provided basic healthcare to the affected areas. They’ve set up 7 units, with 5 more on the way. Through these, the people in these areas would be able to receive proper health care, which has been completely stopped since the earthquake destroyed the hospitals in the area, along with almost all medical equipment.

What is the Red Crescent doing to help people affected by the earthquake in Turkey?

In Turkey, the situation is pretty scary. A lot of families are destroyed, houses are turned into ruins, and the people affected by the disaster are completely disoriented. In this case, the Red Crescent is helping the people get back to normalcy.

1. More than 5,000 Turkish Red Crescent staff and volunteers are working with the affected people. They’re providing them food, drinkable water, hygiene supplies, and shelters.
2. The Red Crescent has distributed 100 million hot meals, 54,000 tents, and 200,000 blankets.
3. They’re continually working along with the Ministry of Health of Turkey to provide basic healthcare and build temporary health care shelters to make these services easily accessible in the affected region.
4. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is sending units of medical supplies to the shelters. They’ve sent around 7 units, and 5 more are on the way.
5. They have also provided tens of thousands of relief items, such as hygiene kits, winterized shelters, blankets, and other household goods.
6. They’re also providing mental health support. They’ve set up playgrounds for children to play on. They also provide psychological first aid and referrals to local health facilities. They have provided psychological aid to around 47,000 people.

How has the Red Crescent been supporting people affected by the earthquakes in Syria?

• 4,000 Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) volunteers are helping on the Syrian side of the border. They have provided over 3.5 million humanitarian services.
• With their mobile health services units and clinics, they have provided the basic medical needs of 5,00,000 affected people.
• They have distributed around 1.7 million items to provide help to 2.5 million people.

Conclusion

The 7.8-magnitude earthquake that hit some parts of Turkey and Syria killed over 51,000 people and left millions injured. This earthquake is considered to be one of the most devastating incidents to have happened in recent years. Explore the above article to find out more about the earthquake and the effective measures taken by organizations around the world.

FAQ’s: Türkiye and Syria Earthquakes

1. How many people were affected by the earthquake in Turkey and Syria?

Around 56,000 people were killed in the earthquake. According to the date, around 15.73 million people were affected.

2. How many people died in the Turkish-Syrian earthquake?

According to one report, 50,783 people are dead due to the earthquake. It is estimated that around 56,000 people were killed in the destruction.

3. Has Turkey recovered from the earthquake?

The recovery and rebuilding of the affected regions in Turkey and Syria are still undergoing, and it will take years for people’s lives to go back to normalcy.

4. What caused the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria?

The earthquake started at a magnitude of 6.8 in a subsidiary of the East Anatolian Fault, known as Nurdağı-Pazarcık Fault, then slowly spread to the main East Anatolian Fault.

5. Who helped Turkey after the earthquake?

Azerbaijan was the first country to send help to Turkey right after the earthquake.

6. Can you donate to help the people affected by the earthquake?

Yes, you can donate and help the people of Turkey by going to the website of the Red Cross Red Crescent and filling out their donation form. They’re currently trying to collect enough monetary and material help to provide for the inflicted people.