Nearly 9 million people in Syria affected by Türkiye earthquake, UN launches $400 million funding appeal
NEW YORK, 14 February 2023 – Close to 9 million people in Syria have been affected by last week’s devastating earthquakes, the United Nations said today. Humanitarian agencies will need $397.6 million to respond to the most pressing humanitarian needs over the next three months.
“It has been more than a week since the ground shook in Türkiye and Syria, burying people alive, shattering homes, schools and hospitals, and causing indelible trauma across the region and beyond,” said Martin Griffiths, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, at the end of a visit to Türkiye and Syria. “This is a crisis of colossal proportions, one which will be a true litmus test for global generosity, solidarity and diplomacy.”
In Syria, 8.8 million people have been affected, according to the UN. The earthquake hit as humanitarian needs are at their highest level since the conflict in that country started almost 12 years ago, and as logistical and access constraints and winter conditions are compounding challenges.
The damage is worse in the north-west, where more than 4.2 million people have been affected in Aleppo, and 3 million people have been affected in Idlib. More than 7,400 buildings have been completely or partially destroyed.
Water, electricity, heating and social services are under severe pressure. The risk of waterborne diseases is high, particularly amid an ongoing cholera outbreak. Emergency health care is limited, and lack of fuel and heavy machinery is hampering efforts to quickly reach people most in need.
The UN continues to scale up its cross-border aid operation, which resumed on 9 February after a three-day temporary interruption by the earthquakes. A total of 58 trucks have crossed from Türkiye to north-west Syria through the Bab al Hawa crossing point over the past five days, carrying aid from food and tents to cholera testing kits and essential medicines.
Eleven trucks have just gone through the newly opened border crossing of Bab al Salam today, carrying non-food items such as blankets, jerry cans and mattresses.
The funding appeal aims to benefit 4.9 million people with the most urgent humanitarian needs, and aims to:
- Provide essential shelter, health, food, water, sanitation, non-food items, education, nutrition and protection services.
- Carry out essential light repairs and rehabilitation to restore health, water and sanitation, agriculture and education infrastructure, and supply chains.
- Support livelihoods by providing short-term employment for debris clearance and small-scale rehabilitation.
- Provide protection services, mental health and psychosocial support, and gender-based violence case management.
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