We have received an update from Damascus, Syria on the earthquakes that devastated the region last week. According to UN estimates, the death toll in Turkey and north-west Syria will exceed 50,000. In addition, on behalf of the UN, they warn that the rescue phase is “coming to an end” and that efforts from now on should focus on providing shelter, food and assistance to survivors. Millions of people have been left homeless by the deadly earthquakes that have hit the region, and in particular the city of Aleppo in Syria. In the case of Syria, it is an area that has already been affected by 12 years of war, where there were already many displaced people who already lived in harsh conditions as refugees and are now suffering from an aggravated humanitarian crisis. This is one “crisis upon the other,” says Emma Forster, coordinator for Syria policy and communications at the Norwegian Refugee Council.
More on this in our conversation with Emma Forster.