Earthquakes: North-west Syria Situation Report No. 1 (As of 7 March 2023)

Key figures in north-west Syria

4,500+ Deaths due to earthquakes

8,700+ Injuries due to earthquakes

10,600+ Partially or fully damaged buildings

53,100+ Suspected cholera cases

Highlights

• More than 4,500 deaths and 8,700 injuries have been reported in north-west Syria, as of 6 March, since an earthquake of 7.7 magnitude struck Türkiye on 6 February.

• Thousands of people became homeless as more than 10,600 buildings have been completely or partially destroyed in north-west Syria.

• On 20 February, the Syria Cross-border Humanitarian Fund (SCHF) launched the first phase of its Reserve Allocation, valued at $30 million, to address immediate life-saving needs.

• As of 7 March, a total of 617 trucks loaded with aid provided by seven UN agencies have so far crossed to north-west Syria since the earthquakes.

• Multi-purpose cash, amounting to $6 million, has been distributed to over 190,000 people in need in north-west Syria as of 6 March.

One month post-earthquakes

One month has passed since a 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck Türkiye and Syria in the early hours of 6 February, followed by almost 14,000 aftershocks. Earthquake survivors are continuing to grapple with the loss of their homes and loved ones in both countries. More than 4,500 deaths and 8,700 injuries have been recorded in north-west Syria alone, compounding what already is a dire humanitarian situation.

For many Syrians, this March also marks their 12th year of living with conflict and displacement. In 2023, Syria remains the world’s largest internal displacement crisis. Some 1.9 million people live in some 1,430 camps or self-settled sites in the north-west, the majority of whom are women and children. The earthquakes have caused new internal displacement movements and at least 86,000 people were reportedly newly displaced since 6 February. More than half of them are children.

In search for safety and normalcy

Um Mohammed and her five children are among the earthquake survivors who now live in one of the 77 reception centers in north-west Syria. Their house in Afrin city has fully collapsed, rendering the family homeless and foodless on the streets for two days. She recalled seeing her children turning “blue” from the freezing temperatures in the absence of a shelter. “We are used to not having food for some days before this disaster. The difference is that we felt safe at home,” shared Um Mohammed.

While the living situation in the reception center is “better than the streets,” the mental health toll continued to take visible effects on her children. For instance, her 13-year-old daughter has not spoken or taken a shower for ten days due to the shock.

Um Mohammed looked at her daughter and asked: “What can I do? There is no solution. All can do is stay with my kids.” Outside of camps and reception centers, glimmers of normalcy can also be seen in pockets of districts. Many schools in Idleb for instance have resumed their classrooms but many teachers and students are still recollecting the moment of the disaster.

Maya is a fourth-grade student at an all-girls school in Harim. She returned to the classroom in the last week of February but noted that “things are not the same.” “Half of my friends are gone and some are still in the hospital,” said Maya. She recounted how they used to sit together in the schoolyard to share stories, eat chips and finish their homework together.

Unlike some other schools in Harim, the Hay El-Kherbe school remains mostly physically intact. Khawla Dalil, the school’s principal, noted that some 170 out of 300 students have returned so far but many continue to face anxiety and fears. The school has provided some psychosocial support to students but behind each activity, there is still a sense of “sorrow” lingering in the classroom. "Two teachers and 20 students were victims of the earthquakes,” said Khawla. “The children go out and play but we still feel the pain in their hearts.”