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OVERVIEW
In the early hours of the 6th of February 2023, two devastating earthquakes, measuring 7.7 and 7.6 magnitudes struck the southern part of Türkiye. Since the two catastrophic earthquakes, almost 21.217 aftershocks occurred until the 28th of March, stressing the vulnerability of the affected region to future earthquakes and the severe risks facing communities.
These earthquakes are the largest to hit Türkiye in the last century and the most significant to strike the country’s south-east region in hundreds of years. On the same day, the Government of Türkiye issued a Level 4 Alarm calling for international assistance with the earthquakes caused.
The earthquakes and aftershocks have caused the widespread destruction of houses and infrastructure in urban centres and rural areas. Almost 16 million people are affected; 9.1 million people have been directly impacted. As of March 21st, Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) has announced that over 50.000 people have lost their lives, and tens of thousands more were injured due to the earthquakes, while over 216,000 people from affected areas have been relocated to other provinces, according to AFAD. Additionally, 3 million people have been displaced by the earthquakes in Türkiye.
The harsh weather conditions have exacerbated the disastrous consequences of the earthquake over the last week. The floods deeply affected the region and caused acute humanitarian impacts adding another layer of suffering on top of the ongoing severity. The heavy rainfalls caused flooding in three already earthquake-affected cities, Adıyaman, Malatya and Şanlıurfa; causing 20 loss of lives and affecting many others.
The damage that the flooding and what is left behind is striking in many districts of Adıyaman and Şanlıurfa, as the infrastructure facilities such as buildings, bridges and highways are demolished while some buildings can only be accessed by boat due to the river-like-streets. More than 2000 homes, workplaces and vehicles are damaged, and some have been submerged in water. Despite surviving the earthquake, some homes have now been inundated with floodwaters, resulting in further displacement. The Turkish Red Crescent (Türk Kızılay) has dispatched additional relief materials to alleviate the vulnerability in the affected region.
After the earthquake, many people have been living in temporary tents and containers. The recent floods also hit the camps and damaged the tents, which worsened the humanitarian conditions. These grinding conditions have multiplied the vulnerabilities of people affected by the earthquakes and increased the dire need for nourishment and durable shelter solutions such as containers in disaster zones. Evidently, transitioning from tents to containers is becoming increasingly imperative as tents only offer a temporary solution, whereas containers provide a more critical and indispensable means.
The scope of the needs is continuously growing due to the reoccurrence of disasters and the continuation of the aftershocks. Regardless of the circumstances, the Government of Türkiye is leading the response under coordination by AFAD and provincial governors. Türk Kızılay, local partners, and humanitarian organisations are also working in collaboration with AFAD.