Concern Worldwide responding to earthquakes in Türkiye (Turkey) and Syria

The Irish humanitarian organisation is currently supplying blankets and heaters to emergency shelters in Şanlıurfa, close to the epicentre of the earthquakes in southern Türkiye (Turkey), along with food and water. 

Concern is also opening community centres that are deemed safe, so families have somewhere to sleep. In northwest Syria Concern is working with local partners to assess what response is needed.

“The biggest priority for people affected by these earthquakes is shelter as it’s currently below freezing (-4 degrees Celsius) in the areas hit by the earthquakes,” said Fiona Gannon, regional director with Concern. “These have been some of the strongest earthquakes in a 100 years and aftershocks have disrupted communications and electricity supplies, many people are too afraid to go inside, choosing to sleep in their cars instead.“

Concern has been working in Gaziantep and Şanlıurfa since 2013, through livelihood, education and protection programming.

The number of people killed in the 7.8 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes currently stands at more than 2,000 people. It’s estimated that at least 7,000 people have been injured across Türkiye (Turkey) and Syria, with hundreds of thousands more impacted.

Concern has launched an emergency fundraising appeal for Türkiye (Turkey) and Syria.

For more information, contact Eilis Staunton, media relations officer with Concern on 085-872 0720 or eilis.staunton@concern.net