HIGHLIGHTS
More than 4,500 deaths and 8,500 injuries have been reported in north-west Syria, as of 21 February, since an earthquake of 7.7 magnitude struck Türkiye on 6 February.
As of 21 February, more than 10,000 buildings have been completely or partially destroyed in north-west Syria, rendering at least 11,000 people homeless.
Shelter, winterization and multi-purpose cash needs were identified as top priorities among displaced populations, according to a rapid assessment conducted by REACH.
As of 24 February, a total of 368 trucks loaded with aid provided by six UN agencies have so far crossed to north-west Syria since the earthquakes.
On 21 February, a UN delegation comprised of IOM, OCHA, UNDSS, UNFPA, UNHCR, UNICEF and WHO visited hospitals, a camp and reception center in Harim, Salqin and Ma’arrat Misrin.
2023 Earthquake: Situation Overview in North-west Syria
“We were working for 24 hours at the emergency department when suddenly everyone started running outside.”
A nurse at the Harim General Hospital in Idleb described the moment when a second set of earthquakes struck Türkiye on the evening of 20 February, only two weeks after the first disaster that killed over 4,500 people in north-west Syria. At least 150 new injuries were recorded in the area in its aftermath.
“Some people were so scared that they jumped out of their balconies,” said the nurse, adding that bruises and bone fractures were common among newly injured patients. However, the majority of cases at the hospital reportedly were psychological support and nervous breakdowns, particularly among women and children.
The humanitarian situation in north-west Syria has been dire even prior to the earthquakes. This has been an area where 4.1 million people, or 90 per cent of its population, depend on humanitarian aid to meet their most basic needs. Data from 2022 suggest that some 3 million people were deemed food insecure. At least 800,000 children have been out of school, putting a whole generation of Syrian children at risk of being left behind.
13-year-old Bahaa lost 26 people in his family in one evening. He lives in Jandairis, one of the most affected towns in north-west Syria where over 1,000 people have died following the 6 February earthquakes.
“We are survivors,” he said before breaking down into tears.
After losing his home, Bahaa moved to stay with one of his relatives in the Ishkan camp in the countryside of Jandairis. One of his legs is still broken today and his father remains in critical condition in a hospital. But Bahaa continues to hold onto hope, expressing that his father will soon “be fine.”
“I want to be a construction engineer one day. I want to complete my studies and design an earthquake-resistant building,” he shared, determined to help future communities avert such disastrous events.
The UN has so far completed four cross-border visits from Türkiye to north-west Syria since the earthquakes first struck. The most recent was a UN interagency mission on 21 February, led by David Carden, UN Deputy Regional Humanitarian Coordinator (DRHC) ad interim on surge, involving representatives from IOM, OCHA, UNDSS, UNFPA, UNHCR, UNICEF and WHO, three days following a visit to Jandairis.
The delegation visited hospitals, a displacement camp and a reception center in Harim, Salqin and Ma’arrat Misrin in the Idleb governorate. The hospitals were supported by various non-governmental organizations (NGOs) including the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS), the Social Development International (SDI), Shafak Organization and Relief International.
Medicines and medical supplies provided by the World Health Organization (WHO) were distributed to three hospitals. The NGO Hand in Hand for Aid and Development (HIHFAD) also supported the distribution and storage of items.
On the same day, the UN team paid a visit to the office of GOAL in Harim, the NGO with the highest number of recorded casualties of aid workers. As many as 79 aid workers have passed away due to the earthquakes, the majority of whom worked for NGOs. At least four were UN staff members.
Many NGOs have been long-standing partners of the UN cross-border aid operation, whose projects were funded by OCHA’s Syria Cross-border Humanitarian Fund (SCHF).
On 20 February, the SCHF launched the first phase of its Reserve Allocation, valued at $30 million, to address immediate life-saving needs. Once this allocation is completed, a second phase, valued at least $20 million, will be launched to address life-sustaining needs in the medium term. The SCHF has also reprogrammed ongoing activities, worth $7 million, towards the earthquake response.
The UN and humanitarian partners are continuing to scale up its cross-border operation. As of 22 February, the UN has sent 282 trucks loaded with aid provided by six UN agencies from Türkiye to north-west Syria using three border-crossings: Bab Al-Hawa, Bab Al-Salam and Al Ra’ee.
Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs