The earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria on February 6 is the largest that Turkey has experienced since the earthquake of August 17, 1999, which caused the death of 17,000 people, including a thousand in Istanbul. Given the number of buildings that collapsed, a much higher number of victims is expected. The death toll is still provisional and evolves from hour to hour.
A large number of people are currently still trapped under rubble. The snow, which is falling heavily, and the drop in temperature expected in the evening and tomorrow, will make the situation even more difficult for rescue workers and for people who no longer have a roof over their heads.
Turkey, through its Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu, called for international assistance and many countries, including Switzerland, responded by announcing they would quickly send aid. Syria is also on alert to rescue survivors from the rubble as quickly as possible.
Swiss Solidarity is in close contact with its Swiss partner organizations, which have been active for years in the vicinity of the disaster area in Syria and are working there to help the population affected by the war. In Turkey, the Red Cross and the Red Crescent are currently deployed.
“Together with our Swiss partner organizations on the ground, we are identifying where the needs are the greatest and evaluating how we can help. Currently, all efforts are concentrated on the search for buried or missing people and providing food, water and emergency shelter for survivors who have lost everything. We call upon the solidarity in Switzerland to help us face the scale of this disaster”Miren Bengoa, Director of Swiss Solidarity
Swiss Solidarity, 1211 Geneva 8
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