Türkiye | Earthquakes Operation Update #2 – Emergency Appeal № MDRTR004 (21/04/2023) – Türkiye
A. SITUATION ANALYSIS
Description of the crisis
A magnitude 7.7 earthquake occurred in Türkiye at 4:17 am on 6 February 2023, followed by 83 aftershocks at a maximum level of 6.7. An additional separate earthquake of 7.6 occurred at 1:24 pm the following day in the same region. Adıyaman, Hatay, Kahramanmaraş, Gaziantep, and Malatya are reportedly the hardest hit. Almost two weeks after the initial earthquake, a separate 6.4 magnitude earthquake hit the Defne district, close to the Syrian border in Hatay province, on 20 February. This was followed by a 5.8 magnitude earthquake on the same evening in Samandag district, Hatay, causing further destruction to the already heavily damaged area. Since 6 February, over 24,000 tremors were recorded in the area (AFAD 05/04/2023).
According to the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD), the death toll from the devastating earthquakes has reached 50,096 (including at least 6,600 Syrians present in Türkiye), and 107,204 people injured as of 4 April 2023. Some 3 million people have been displaced, including an estimated 528,146 evacuated by the government, and more than half a million buildings have sustained damage, of which at least 264,378 (approximately 710,000 residential units) have either collapsed or have been severely damaged. Roads were equally seriously damaged in the affected areas, hence hampering access to the affected community in remote villages and districts, primarily in the early days of the disaster. In total, 17 provinces have been impacted by the earthquake with an estimated 9.1 million people directly affected according to the latest statement from AFAD.
Although the winter season is almost over in Türkiye and temperatures are increasingly becoming warmer, emergency shelter is still a priority need for the response due to the large amount of severe damage to housing, both in cities and rural areas. During this period, TRC with the support of IFRC along with other stakeholders, has been concentrating efforts on addressing emergency shelter needs through the provision of tents, tarpaulins, sleeping bags, blankets, and heating kits. Additional needs in the early days of the disaster also included hygiene and sanitation support, food distribution (soup, hot meals and food parcels), protection, health and psychosocial support to affected people.
The earthquakes also struck areas that were already hosting approximately 1.8 million Syrian refugees, which represents 47 per cent of all Syrian refugees in Türkiye as of January 2023. While the situation for refugees was already challenging, especially during the winter period, the earthquake put even more pressure on these populations and the host communities, stretching limited capacities.
