Rebuilding Lives

As of 15 February 2023 more than 37.000 people died according to Reuters news agency

• The World Health Organization (WHO) informed that over 23 million people could be affected. Prior to the earthquake more than 15 million people in Syria were already need of assistance in 2023.
• On Feb. 8, Turkey’s President Erdogan admitted to problems with his government’s initial response amid frustration with the pace of relief. Erdogan declared a state of emergency in 10 provinces for three months.
• Freezing weather conditions are putting survivors at risk and complicating rescue efforts.
• The earthquake response in northwest Syria is impacted by an already underfunded humanitarian crisis, snowy weather and electricity cut in many areas, and road damage disrupting access to the single border crossingfrom Turkey into Syria authorized by the UN Security Council. A second aid convoy crossed the border from Turkey into northwest Syria on Feb. 10.
• Damage assessments are ongoing, however, at least 6,444 buildings have reportedly collapsed in Turkey. In northwest Syria, more than 2,000 buildings have been completely destroyed and more than 5,100 buildings have been partially destroyed.
• In their Feb. 9 Flash Update, UNOCHA reported that the total number of responders in the region is 115,688 personnel, including 25,893 search and rescue personnel and 6,479 international personnel from other countries.
• More than 30,000 displacements occurred in northwest Syria between Feb. 6 and Feb. 8. Many people living in northwest Syria have already been displaced multiple times in recent years due to the conflict there.
• As of Feb. 8, early reports show that 239 schools have been damaged in the northern and southern Governorates across Syria.
• Schools in the affected Turkish provinces are closed for at least one weekand gas flow through pipelines has been stopped in Kahramanmaras and Gaziantep to mitigate explosion risks.
• Several Syrian governorates in north, central and coastal parts of Syria were affected with Aleppo being the most impacted, although Lattakia, Tartous, Hama and Idleb were also considerably affected.
• According to ACAPS, aggravating factors that impact response and recovery efforts include harsh winter weather, fuel shortages, damage to dams, limited roads and connectivity in Syria, and the economic crisis.*

* Data from WHO and disasterphilantrophy.org