Earthquake

Close to 2,000 deaths have been reported in Türkiye and north-west Syria on 6 February as a 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck southern Türkiye at 4:17 am. This is Türkiye’s most powerful earthquake recorded since 1939. At least 78 aftershocks have been reported followed by a second earthquake of 7.5 magnitude at 13:24 with the epicenter in Ekinozu/Kahramanmaras province. Tremors were reportedly felt in Gaziantep and neighboring provinces.

The Government of Türkiye has since issued a Level 4 alarm, calling for international assistance. The earthquake also heavily impacted north-west Syria, a region where 4.1 million people depend on humanitarian assistance today. The majority are women and children. At this time, Syrian communities are simultaneously hit with an on-going cholera outbreak and harsh winter events including heavy rain and snow over the weekend. The humanitarian response is largely overstretched with a funding gap of 48 per cent identified for the last quarter of 2022 (US$371.1 is required out of 802.1 million).

The UN and partners are monitoring the situation on the ground amidst information flow constraints due to chronic telecommunication disruptions and power shortages. Infrastructural damages are difficult to assess at this time and roads have been reportedly blocked in both Türkiye and north-west Syria. (OCHA, 6 Feb 2023)