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7 February, 2023
UPDATE on ADRA’s Syria and Türkiye (formerly Turkey) Response: February 21
A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck southern Türkiye near the Syrian border today, just two weeks after the series of earthquakes that took tens of thousands of lives and impacted millions.
ADRA’s teams remain safe and continue to respond in affected regions. Thank you for your continued prayers and support.
Our ADRA teams are safe and continuing to respond
UPDATE on ADRA’s Syria and Türkiye (formerly Turkey) Response: February 20
ADRA also continues to conduct emergency response operations in Türkiye, to deliver immediate relief to families affected by the earthquakes.
On Friday 17 February 2023, ADRA delivered 150 stoves and 300 canisters to a partner organization in Nurdagi, one of the heavier affected areas in Türkiye, to be provided to earthquake victims.
Shelter is also a top priority due to the number of buildings collapsed and severely damaged. Access to family tents, relief items and heating are urgent. While ADRA’s emergency response team works on resourcing winter-proof family-tents (that allow families to use gas heaters inside), ADRA volunteers, in collaboration with local organisations, supported 1,360 individuals over the last week with supplies according to specific needs. These included food baskets, winter items such as gas heaters, underwear, socks and shoes. Cleaning and personal hygiene items were also distributed.
Distribution of stoves and canisters in one of the worst affected areas in Türkiye
ADRA is currently sourcing winter-proof family-tents that allow families to use gas heaters inside.
UPDATE on ADRA’s Syria and Türkiye (formerly Turkey) Response: February 16
Here is the latest from ADRA’s response in Syria.
Latakia:
- Over the last three days, ADRA distributed 7,350 meals in six different shelters, reaching 9,285 individuals
- A total of 812 food parcels have been distributed to displaced people living within the community. Each parcel has enough food to feed a family for five days
Food distributions within collective shelters are ongoing
Aleppo:
- Over the last three days, ADRA distributed 776 food parcels in six different shelters, reaching 3,889 people
- ADRA is looking into the rehabilitation of water system that was affected during the quakes
Assessing the damage to the water network in Al Salheen, Aleppo
Hama:
- With so many displaced in the middle of winter, the need for blankets is huge. ADRA is working to secure blankets to distribute to help those affected survive the cold winter nights
Over a week has passed since the devastating earthquakes struck Türkiye. The need for psychosocial support across Türkiye and Syria is great. ADRA is exploring ways of offering counselling sessions in the collective shelters in Syria. There are also fears that such large groups of people gathered together is putting a strain on hygiene. ADRA is assessing the possibility of installing portable toilets and solar lights in the shelters.
To ensure there are no gaps in humanitarian assistance, ADRA is coordinating with the municipality of Aleppo, the General Organization for Land Development, the water establishment, and the Directorate of Education to carry out the planned water, sanitation and hygiene activities.
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UPDATE on ADRA’s Syria and Türkiye (formerly Turkey) Response: February 15
ADRA is working in Hatay, Türkiye, to support survivors. Over one million people are staying in temporary shelters and at least 150,000 people are homeless. The greatest needs have been identified as food, shelter and heating.
ADRA donated 26 heaters to the Hatay Firefighter’s Association
ADRA is working with local organisations to facilitate relief activities by contributing cash and essential items like food.
Impact to date in Hatay:
- 330 people received essential items like food, water and blankets
- Hospital and Urban Search and Rescue team equipped with tools and supplies
- 26 heaters donated to the Hatay Firefighter’s association
- Food supplies provided to to AKDER, local NGO operating in Arsuz and surrounding villages
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UPDATE on ADRA’s Syria and Türkiye (formerly Turkey) Response: February 14
After a week working as part of the rescue efforts in Türkiye, ADRA Hungary Country Director Zoltan Sitkei has returned home.
During his deployment, Zoltan’s rescue team (HUBA Rescue24) recovered 11 survivors from the rubble following the devastating earthquakes on 6 February. The team worked long hours in difficult conditions.
Zoltan and his team were working in very difficult conditions
“It took us 14 hours to save a lady who was found by our team,” said Zoltan. “It was very difficult to get her out, but finally we found a solution and got her out.”
ADRA locally sourced drills, hammer drills and drill heads before driving to Antakya to deliver the much needed equipment to aid in the search and rescue operation.
Zoltan’s team receiving the rescue gear sourced by ADRA
Zoltan is a paramedic and internationally accredited search and rescue technician. He was in a team of 19 specialists and 7 dogs.
ADRA is on the ground in Syria providing food, shelter and water to those who have been affected.
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UPDATE on ADRA’s Syria and Türkiye (formerly Turkey) Response: February 13
Emergency shelters like the ADRA supported Sports City shelter are hosting up to 2,000 individuals. Over the last three days, ADRA distributed 3,500 individual ready meals in the Sports City shelter which is the largest collective shelter in Latakia. An additional 1,359 individuals received food support in Aleppo. However, these emergency shelters are not equipped to meet the needs of so many people with limited water and sanitation facilities. ADRA is also providing bottled water, but the need is still great and it is difficult to keep up with the demand.
Ongoing distributions at Latakia collective shelters
ADRA distributed 425 food parcels to households that are displaced with the community. Each parcel contains enough food for a family for five days.
As part of efforts to restore the water network, ADRA provided a second generator to the directorate of water resources to assist in the emergency repairs.
Generator delivered to Directorate of Water Resources in Jable, Latakia
In Hama, the procurement process has started for the distribution of mattresses.
The most urgent needs are for food, water, hygiene kits and cleaning materials. The death toll has ticked over 33,000.
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UPDATE on ADRA’s Syria and Türkiye (formerly Turkey) Response: February 12
Miriam Watt from ADRA Syria spoke with SBS news about the earthquakes that have devastated Türkiye and Syria. ADRA’s existing projects in Syria have shifted into recovery mode, working to support families who have lost everything.
“There is a lot of shortages of basic services and supplies,” Miriam says. “When you talk to people and ask, ‘what is your biggest need, what can we provide?’ some people are just so shocked and overwhelmed they can’t respond at all.”
Our team in Syria has been distributing essential items like food, water, and blankets to families and individual people in the affected areas.
At the time of publication, the death toll from the earthquakes has exceeded 24,000. Miraculously, six days after the first earthquake struck, people are still being rescued from the rubble, defying the odds.
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UPDATE on ADRA’s Syria and Türkiye (formerly Turkey) Response: February 10
Six people have been rescued from the ruins in Türkiye by a rescue team including ADRA Hungary Country Director, Zoltan Sitkei.
Zoltan is a paramedic and internationally accredited search and rescue technician. Zoltan, along with three colleagues from partner NGOs, has been deployed as part of the Hungary Government’s official search and rescue contingent with 19 persons and 7 rescue dogs.
The team has been working up to 14 hours per rescue
“In the last 36 hours, we rescued six people including two children,” says Zoltán Sitkei. “Unfortunately, after being rescued, we lost a young boy because of his injuries. But he was still alive when we took him out of the ruins. We are facing very difficult situations. It took us 14 hours to save a lady, who was found by our team.
“We are with the rescue team in Hatay area (Türkiye), where we are working in the ruins on a daily basis,” Zoltán says. “We are meeting very unusual circumstances. In this area nearly every house is a ruin or damaged. People need shelters. They are sleeping in cars and in local services. The situation of food and shelter is very critical.”
ADRA is providing food, shelter and water to those who have been affected.
At the time of publication, the death toll from the Türkiye earthquakes has exceeded 20,000. The confirmed number in Türkiye is 17,406 and in neighbouring Syria it is 3,317.
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UPDATE on ADRA’s Syria and Türkiye (formerly Turkey) Response: February 9
At the time of publication, 13.5 million people are estimated to have been impacted by the Türkiye earthquakes, and over 15,000 lives have been lost across Türkiye and Syria.
ADRA Syria has now provided 1,175 people in four shelters in Aleppo and Latakia with meals, drinking water and hygiene items. ADRA has also deployed an emergency team to work alongside the local church in Türkiye.
Mustafa Bashir, Aleppo Field Coordinator for ADRA Syria, says, “While we were distributing food in the shelter, we felt tremors and the people told us that two more buildings in the area collapsed, leaving more families homeless. However, the two shelters we served today are at full capacity, so more schools and mosques were opened to provide places for people to stay.”
Weather forecasts show temperatures below 0 degrees celsius at night worsening the situation for those trapped or displaced without shelter.
Many people have lost everything. These photos have come through from one of the shelters ADRA has established in local schools in Aleppo. The shelters are providing people with food, water, cash vouchers and blankets to withstand the cold winter.
So many of the people in ADRA’s shelter have lost everything
The greatest needs have been identified as shelter, water, food, and blankets
Your donation is providing essentials like food, water and shelter to those affected by the earthquake
Please join us as we continue to pray for the millions of lives impacted by these devastating earthquakes.
Donate today at adra.org.au/donate
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UPDATE on ADRA’s Syria and Türkiye (formerly Turkey) Response: February 8
Earlier this morning, Channel 9’s Today Show crossed live to our staff on the ground in Syria for an update on the Türkiye earthquake response. As the death toll continues to rise, the greatest needs have been identified as shelter, healthcare, food and blankets.
Watch the live cross to Syria in the video above. NOTE: the footage may cause distress for some viewers. Discretion is advised.
The death toll has now surpassed 7,000 in Türkiye and northern Syria in the aftermath of the 7.8 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes that struck Türkiye in the early hours of Monday 6 February. ADRA Syria staff have been deployed to the affected areas and will initially serve 1,100 people. The greatest needs have been identified as shelter, healthcare, food and non-food items.
The earthquake has left thousands dead and even more homeless
ADRA Syria has established two shelters in local schools in Aleppo, and has also provided 800 people in a shelter in Latakia with drinking water, cash vouchers, and blankets.
The team is working to establish additional provisional shelters in schools and will begin repairing water and sanitation facilities.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced a three-month state of emergency in the 10 provinces worst-affected by the earthquakes.
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UPDATE on ADRA’s Syria and Türkiye (formerly Turkey) Response: February 7
In the early hours of Monday 6 February, a 7.8 magnitude tremor struck Türkiye (formerly Turkey) near the city of Gaziantep. Another earthquake measuring magnitude 7.7 struck central Türkiye following the initial quake, with the Syrian capital of Damascus also hit.
The death toll across Türkiye and Syria sits at over 3,400 and the World Health Organisation estimates the number of fatalities is expected to reach 20,000 people.
ADRA is on the ground in Syria responding to the earthquake
ADRA is already on the ground responding. Your donation today is providing those affected with shelter, food, water, blankets and flashlights.
Donate today at adra.org.au/donate
Stay up to date with our response by following us on Facebook and Instagram.