Earthquake in Syria and Türkiye
A context of crisis
In the early hours of 6 February 2023, a devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake rocked southern Türkiye and neighbouring Syria, followed by a second 7.5 magnitude tremor several hours later, with at least 316 aftershocks since the initial earthquake.
While the initial response was swift and reactive – providing thousands of families with blankets, tents, stoves, torches and essential hygiene items – there are many more stories to be told about Medair’s work in the months following the earthquake, our ongoing programmes and our plans for the year ahead.
Communities in Syria face an even greater risk
This earthquake is catastrophic for the 4.1 million people already dependent on humanitarian assistance in Syria. Twelve years of conflict and a debilitating economic crisis have to led to a fuel shortage this winter, making it very expensive for communities to heat their homes, and an ongoing cholera outbreak, caused by the lack of access to safe water. As heavy rain and snow are expected this weekend, these people desperately need shelter from the cold.
“After an earthquake, people are afraid to go into buildings. They will want to stay close to their homes to protect their land and belongings, so they will create a shelter outside. They need shelter materials – timber, tarpaulin, mats – to protect them from the cold and rain.”
Patricia Gomez, Medair Shelter and Settlements Advisor
We need your support to ensure that those affected by the earthquakes survive the exposure to the cold and have access to clean drinking water. Your gift means that our teams on the ground can act quickly and help those who are the hardest to reach.
Will you help us save lives?
Let’s act now to relieve those who suffer in silence
Support Syria and Turkiye in crisis
Frequently Asked Questions
Monthly gifts mean we can count on your regular support, which helps us meet our programmes' biggest needs. It also helps us plan better for the future and invest in more sustainable projects that build people’s resilience and help restore communities. In emergencies, your regular support helps us preposition supplies and support so we can act fast to save more lives.
Yes. All donations made to Medair are tax deductible in your country of residence for tax purposes. Please make sure to donate through your local Support Office who will be able to issue you a tax receipt for your donation(s).
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Yes. We understand that sometimes circumstances change that may impact your giving to Medair. In this case, you can contact your local Support Office who will be able to walk you through your different options.
We are transparent about our finances and committed to using them wisely – 90.5% goes directly to delivering humanitarian assistance and 9.5% to supporting management and fundraising efforts. We are certified to the Core Humanitarian Standard on Quality and Accountability (CHS), which demonstrates our programme excellence. And we are deeply committed to upholding and being accountable to our codes of ethics and protection policies. Percentages might not total 100% due to rounding.