Together with local partner organizations, CARE has reached nearly 1 million people in northwest Syria and Turkey with emergency aid – donations are still urgently needed
Vienna (OTS) – Devastating earthquakes in Turkey and northwest Syria in early February killed 60,000 people and injured more than 100,000. In many places, infrastructure has been massively damaged. Three months later, the need for humanitarian aid is still very great. The relief organization CARE continues to provide emergency relief.
“The situation for people in the earthquake-affected areas of Turkey and northwest Syria is still catastrophic. Millions of people lost their homes, properties and livelihoods Andrea Barschdorf-Hager, Managing Director of CARE Austria. “Given the extent of the destruction, it will likely take some time for people to recover from the fallout. Our teams are constantly on the move, providing local families with urgently needed emergency supplies and safe shelter.”
So far, CARE, together with local partner organizations, has managed to reach over 55,000 people in Turkey and over 900,000 people in northwest Syria with water, food, shelter, clothing, blankets, mattresses, sanitation, hygiene and protective measures, and cash assistance to cover the most urgent needs.
Earthquake intensifies chronic crisis
The already precarious humanitarian situation in southern Turkey and northwestern Syria has been greatly worsened by the earthquakes. Syria has suffered the effects of war, economic instability and food crisis for over a dozen years. More than four million people in the northwest of the country depend on humanitarian aid – especially women and children. Persistent problems, such as lack of water and lack of sanitary facilities, were aggravated by the earthquakes and favored the spread of diseases such as cholera.
“Even before the earthquake, people on both sides of the border were fighting for access to water, food and a roof over their heads. As a result of the earthquake, many families lost their last belongings. The psychological burden of those affected is enormous – also due to the trauma caused by the loss of relatives. Therefore, in addition to reconstruction assistance, the people of Turkey and Syria also need long-term psychosocial support. Barschdorf-Hager.
How CAUTION helps: Together with partner organizations and support from the European Union, CARE has been working in northern Syria and Turkey since 2013, providing emergency and long-term support to displaced people and host communities. After the devastating earthquake, existing programs were immediately adapted and accommodation made available for those affected, emergency supplies and money were distributed, and access to water and sanitation was ensured.
Donations for earthquake relief are urgently needed:
CARE Austria donation account IBAN: AT77 6000 0000 0123 6000 or online
Questions and contact:
CARE Austria
Stephanie Weber
Press
Phone +43 (0)1 7150715-42
[email protected]