A powerful magnitude 7.8 earthquake rocked Turkey and Syria early on Feb. 6, killing more than 1,800 people and injuring thousands more. The quake, one of the strongest to hit the region in the past 100 years, was felt in Cyprus, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan and Lebanon.
As aftershocks continue, UNICEF is on the ground in Syria providing emergency assistance to children and families.
On Feb. 6, 2023, people watch as rescue teams search for survivors under the rubble of a collapsed building in the city of Aleppo in northern Syria, after an early morning earthquake hit Syria and Turkey. © UNICEF/UN0777953/AFP
The initial focus of UNICEF’s emergency response is on water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), child protection services, nutrition and education.
UNICEF field office teams are assessing impact on main water stations and water storage facilities to determine the extent of damages and interruption in services, and providing emergency water access for displaced families.
UNICEF is also working to protect unaccompanied children and reunite those who have become separated from their families.
In Dana, Idlib, Syria, rescue workers carry a boy they recovered from the rubble of a building damaged by the magnitude 7.8 earthquake on Feb. 6, 2023. © UNICEF/UN0777952/ADP
The most affected areas in northwest Syria are Aleppo and Latakia, with reports of damage in Hama. Early reports from Syria indicate 150 dead and more than 400 injured, including children, across all governorates.
Angela Kearney, UNICEF Representative in Syria, was in Aleppo when the earthquake struck. “The numbers keep increasing,” she said. “There is a sense of panic, including among children. Many people, including children, are displaced and remain outside in streets and open areas. The government in Syria closed schools and universities for today and some are being used as shelters. The psychological impact on some people we met is grave.”
At this time, the government of Turkey has not requested international humanitarian assistance.
Children in Syria need urgent help now. Please donate.
Top photo: On Feb, 6, 2023, residents retrieve a small child from the rubble of a collapsed building following an earthquake in the town of Jandaris, in the countryside of Syria’s northwestern city of Afrin in Aleppo province. Hundreds have been reportedly killed in north Syria after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake that originated in Türkiye and was felt across neighboring countries.