North-West Syria: Situation Report (8 March 2023)

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 northwest Syria as of 6 March.

2023 Earthquake: Situation Overview in North-west Syria

“Half of my friends are gone and some are still in the hospital."

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 northwest 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 northwest 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.”

Supporting dignified living conditions

While immediate needs are still critical at this time, the humanitarian community is also calling for attention to medium and long-term needs. 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. 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 continuation of last year’s progress on implementing dignified shelters is critical given that many people are unable to return to their former homes. Over 10,000 buildings have been partially or fully destroyed in north-west Syria. Numerous earthquake survivors are reportedly sharing overcrowded tents, putting them at risk of harsh weather conditions and fire hazards. For instance, on 5 March, a windstorm damaged over 250 tents in Idleb to varying degrees, many of which housed families displaced by the earthquakes. Unlike flimsy tents, which can easily get blown away in storms, dignified shelters have a longer lifespan and offer more privacy and protection to people all year round. By the end of 2022, the humanitarian community has implemented more than 7,200 dignified shelters across north-west Syria.

The UN is increasing its presence in north-west Syria with missions occurring on a weekly basis, largely to conduct technical and needs assessments with local partners and affected communities. As of 7 March, 19 UN cross-border missions have been completed since the first interagency visit to Idleb on 14 February. On 6 March, four UN agencies conducted WASH and health assessments in newly established reception centers and collective centers in Jandairis – one of the most affected areas by the earthquakes.

The cross-border aid operation is continuing to scale up and sustain assistance. Since the earthquakes, more than 600 trucks loaded with aid provided by seven UN agencies (FAO, IOM, UNFPA, UNICEF, UNHCR, WFP, WHO) have crossed to north-west Syria using three border-crossings: Bab Al-Hawa, Bab Al-Salam and Al Ra’ee. But cross-border support extends beyond physical aid to program support of essential services and cash assistance. On 7 March, a new cholera vaccination campaign was launched, led by WHO and UNICEF, targeting 1.7 million Syrians above one year of age. The humanitarian community has also supported more than 190,000 people so far with multi-purpose cash valued at $6 million in total.