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Turkey-Syria earthquake: How your support is helping

3 March 2023
Turkey-Syria Earthquake Appeal

CAFOD's local experts are on the ground responding to the needs of those affected by the earthquake.

In the early hours of Monday 6 February 2023, a powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck near Türkiye’s (Turkey) border with northern Syria killing thousands of people and turning buildings into rubble.

Over 47,000 people are reported to have been killed and more than 70,000 injured. The earthquakes are estimated to have directly impacted 23 million people.

Thanks to your kind donations and support, we have been able to respond through local experts by providing emergency shelter, food, warm blankets, and winter kits.

Our local partners are working tirelessly to support the search and rescue operation, as well as making sure people have water, hot meals, warm clothing and somewhere safe to go.

Hombeline Dulière, CAFOD’s Programme Manager for Syria Crisis Response

How is CAFOD responding?  

CAFOD's local experts in both Syria and Türkiye (Turkey) are actively providing humanitarian aid and have been supporting rescue efforts in the worst-affected areas.

Your donations are helping to provide shelter, food, water, and winter kits including blankets and heating materials to help survivors cope with the freezing temperatures.

How will my donation help?

We have been amazed by your compassionate response to this emergency and your donations will help local experts in Syria and Türkiye (Turkey) to keep providing:

  • Food

  • Water

  • Shelter

  • Heating material, blankets and mattresses

  • Hygiene kits

  • Counselling

  • Support to our local experts’ staff who have been also directly impacted by the earthquake

This is a humanitarian disaster, and the people of Syria are going to need support for months and years to come.

Hombeline Dulière, CAFOD’s Programme Manager for Syria Crisis Response
Turkey-Syria appeal provision of emergency shelter

A CAFOD local expert distributes mattresses in Syria.

When the immediate needs of families affected by the earthquake have been met, we will continue helping communities to rebuild and heal.

Before the earthquake, CAFOD was already working with local experts providing humanitarian assistance to vulnerable families across Syria that have been affected by the 12 year long conflict.   

For Syrians, this is yet another devastating crisis they need to face. Even before the earthquake, the situation in the region was already bad with 80% of people living in poverty.

Millions are likely to be homeless, but livelihoods will also be destroyed. This is an area already in severe need, millions of Syrians were already in desperate need of help and this is only going to deepen.

Hombeline Dulière, CAFOD’s Programme Manager for Syria Crisis Response

The results of the conflict are still felt today with a collapsing economy and millions who have been forced to leave their homes. 

How else can I help?

Thank you to everyone who has fundraised and donated to the Turkey-Syria Earthquake Appeal. Your donations are making a very real difference to survivors and those impacted by the earthquake.

The local humanitarian professionals and volunteers working on your behalf risk their own lives to serve people in need.

Together, we stand in solidarity and send our prayers to the people of Türkiye and Syria.