On 6 February (4.17 a.m.), a severe 7.8-magnitude earthquake with an origin in the Pazarck district of the Kahramanmaras province affected Southern Turkey. Around 13.5 million people, including about 2 million Syrian refugees, live in the neighbouring provinces of Adyaman, Kilis, Osmaniye, Gaziantep, Malatya, as well as Anlurfa, Diyarbakr, Adana, and Hatay.
Around 23 million people, including 1.4 million children, live in the affected areas of Turkey and Syria, according to the WHO. Following the initial earthquake, there were numerous aftershocks, and nine hours later, a second, larger earthquake with a magnitude of 7.5 struck the area, seriously worsening the initial damage and destroying the damaged buildings.
The most recent official reports from Turkiye claim that 20,426 people have been hurt and 3,381 people have died. 11,342 reports of collapsed structures have been made, and 5,775 of those claims have been verified. Over 812 people have reportedly died and 1,449 have been injured in Syria, a country that has already been devastated by more than 11 years of conflict. Rescue personnel and locals have been desperately looking under the wreckage of collapsed buildings for survivors, so the death toll is sure to grow. People are forced to remain outside in the chilly, rainy weather since they are unable to enter their homes due to the risk of severe damage from aftershocks.
According to the most recent updates, Hatay is one of Turkiye’s most severely impacted provinces. A number of significant structures, including the Antakya and Skenderun public hospitals, the AFAD headquarters, and the Gendarmery Headquarters, have fallen. Aerial landing is difficult due to damage on the airport runway. Many individuals are buried under the rubble in the city centre, but rescue teams have been unable to get there. In Hatay, where residents desperately need life-saving aid, there is a very limited earthquake response.
The national teams of Qatar Charity (QC) have started delivering immediate relief supplies to individuals affected by the earthquake that has shattered parts of southeast Turkey and northern Syria as part of their responsibilities as brothers and humanitarians.
This humanitarian assistance coincides with the beginning of a relief initiative by the Qatar Charity called “Save Earthquake Victims in Turkey and Northern Syria.”
Qatar Charity started distributing 27,000 prepared foods to the
earthquake victims equally across Syria and Turkey in response to the urgent
humanitarian needs. In addition, a convoy of four humanitarian shipments left
Doha. More than half a million riyals’ worth of food, clothing, dates, and
first aid are contained inside.
