DONATE

TURKEY-SYRIA EARTHQUAKE APPEAL

Injured and disabled people urgently need your support

PLEASE DONATE NOW

TWO CATASTROPHIC EARTHQUAKES HAVE STRUCK TURKEY AND SYRIA, KILLING AND INJURING TENS OF THOUSANDS

On Monday 6th February, two massive earthquakes with a 7.9 and 7.5 magnitude hit south-eastern Turkey and south-western Syria.

According to reports, the death toll in Turkey and Syria now stands at more than 51,000 people, with over 126,000 injured. Over 195,000 buildings have collapsed or require demolition in Turkey alone. With many trapped beneath the rubble, we expect that these shocking figures will rise further.

"Tens of thousands of people have been injured. They have lost everything and are traumatised by the terrible earthquake and the series of aftershocks," explains Myriam Abord-Hugon, Humanity & Inclusion's Syria program director.

"People are facing cold, rain and bad weather after losing their homes and belongings. There is an urgent need to provide them with aid."

PLEASE DONATE NOW

Emergency search and rescue crews search through the rubble of destroyed buildings in Hatay, Antakya, Turkey, caused by the earthquakes. © Tom Nicholson / HI

OUR EMERGENCY TEAMS ARE SUPPORTING INJURED AND DISABLED PEOPLE

Humanity & Inclusion teams in Syria are working tirelessly to provide emergency support in response to the urgent needs.

Our priority is to help the most vulnerable people affected by the conflict, including injured, disabled and older people.

Our activities include:

Emergency rehabilitation services. With tens of thousands of people injured, there is a huge need for emergency rehabilitation care to prevent injuries becoming permanent disabilities. Humanity & Inclusion teams are providing emergency rehabilitation care to hospitalised patients and long-term follow-up for patients with multiple or complex injuries. Our specialists are supporting 16 hospitals and health facilities, and we have mobile units targeting communities and vulnerable groups who cannot access health services.

To date, 4,264 persons with injuries received rehabilitation services from HI's teams, through 8,821 rehabilitation sessions. We have also donated 5,165 consumables & medical items to hospitals.
Psychological support for people traumatised by the disaster. Individual support sessions are being provided in hospitals and via a mobile team.

To date, we have provided 4,238 people with psychological first aid, and provided 3,096 additional psychosocial suppport sessions.
Providing prosthetic limbs and mobility aids such as wheelchairs, crutches and walking frames to ensure the needs of injured, disabled and older people are met.

To date, 3,932 assistive devices and 124 prosthetic devices have been provided.
Risk Reduction. We included earthquake safety messages in our ongoing explosive ordnance risk education sessions to reduce injuries and deaths from aftershocks and rubble collapse.

To date, 7,041 people have participated in our risk education sessions.
Inclusion of vulnerable people. We work with other organisations in the region to make sure that people with disabilities and older people are at the heart of the response.

Together, we can save lives and prevent serious injuries becoming long-term disabilities. But we need to act fast.

Can we count on your support?

8-year-old Awatef is receiving physiotherapy from HI's teams after she was injured in the earthquake of 6 February 2023. © K.W Dalati / HI

URGENT NEED FOR PHYSICAL REHABILITATION AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SUPPORT

“We expect a huge need for rehabilitation.

There are thousands of injured people and many of these injuries can worsen or turn into permanent disabilities if people do not receive appropriate rehabilitation services such as physiotherapy and prosthetic fitting.

We know from responding to disasters in other countries that one of the heaviest legacies of this earthquake will be its psychological impact.

Surviving an earthquake can be a deeply traumatising experience - and it will be especially so for people who have already endured a decade of war in Syria.

Psychological first aid is an essential component of the emergency response.”

George Graham, Chief Executive of Humanity & Inclusion UK.

Latest news from our teams

TURKEY-SYRIA EARTHQUAKE EMERGENCY APPEAL

PLEASE DONATE NOW

Your gift today could make an immediate and lasting difference to injured and disabled people affected by the earthquakes.

Other ways to donate:

By telephone Call our Supporter Care team on 0330 555 0156 to donate by credit or debit card.
By post Send a cheque payable to "Humanity & Inclusion UK" to: Turkey-Syria Earthquake Appeal, Humanity & Inclusion UK, 9 Rushworth Street, London, SE1 0RB.