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How to help victims of the Turkey-Syria earthquake
By
Kerry Shaw
Published Feb 6, 2023
Modified Feb 7, 2023
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By
Kerry Shaw
Published Feb 6, 2023
Modified Feb 7, 2023
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Many New Yorkers woke to news of a devastating earthquake that shook parts of Turkey and Syria Monday morning.
The quake, which reportedly lasted for two minutes, registered a magnitude of 7.8 and was felt as far away as Egypt and Lebanon, according to reports. It was followed by several aftershocks, including one which registered 7.5.
As of this writing, at least 4,000 people have died; that toll is expected to rise. Thousands of buildings were flattened and many people remain missing.
The Turkish president declared it the worst disaster in over eight decades.
Firat Cicen, a cashier at A la Turka restaurant on the Upper East Side, said he learned the news while surfing the internet this morning. A Turkish citizen, Cicen regularly checks the news from home.
He immediately called his relatives in Turkey, who were OK, but were remaining outside their home — despite freezing temperatures outside — over concerns about aftershocks.
“Thanks to God,” he said. “The situation is really bad right now over there.”
Rescue efforts have been more challenging because of snowy weather in the region, and because bridges have collapsed, said Şenay Ataselim Yılmaz, executive director of Turkish Philanthropy Funds, a nonprofit organization based in New York City.
“It’s a major, major devastation,” she said.
For New Yorkers looking to help, here are four organizations providing assistance in Turkey and Syria right now:
Turkish Philanthropy Funds (TPF)
Since early Monday morning, TPF has been in contact with ten nonprofit organizations working on the ground in Turkey, said executive director Senay Ataselim Yilmaz. Currently, contributions to TPF will go toward helping rescue people from rubble, as more than 2,000 buildings have reportedly collapsed.
After that, she said her group will focus on providing relief and emergency services for displaced families. You can learn more about TPF, and support them, here. The organization was awarded four stars – the highest possible ranking – on Charity Navigator, a website that evaluates nonprofit organizations.
Doctors without Borders / Médecins Sans Frontières
On Monday, MSF said it was assessing the situation, and working with local authorities in both Turkey and Syria to “scale up our response accordingly.” The head of the MSF mission in Syria, Sebastien Gay, noted that many people in the region were already struggling after many years of war and that “the needs are very high.”
As of early Monday afternoon, MSF had already treated 200 wounded people in northern Idlib, Syria. It had also donated emergency medical kits and provided medical staff to 23 health care facilities in Syria near the affected area. You can learn more, and support the organization here.
Syrian American Medical Society
“We’ve been responding nonstop in Syria,” said executive director David Lillie of Syrian American Medical Society, a nonprofit that provides medical care in Syria.
As of Monday afternoon, the organization had been providing medical relief in nearly 40 medical facilities in response to the earthquake. He said they’d cared for 900 patients and expected to treat hundreds more. Lillie said there is an immediate need for trauma supplies and staffing.
“This is a critical time for people to survive,” he said. “The support they need is right now in the next 24 to 48 hours.” You can learn more, and support the organization, here.
UNICEF USA
Unicef is on the ground in both Turkey and Syria. In Syria, they are focused on ensuring that children and families who have been displaced from their homes can access clean water and sanitation services. A spokesperson for UNICEF, Joe English, noted that the region recently experienced a cholera outbreak and “this is exactly the kind of disease which children are especially vulnerable to.”
In Turkey, he said they were working with local governments to identify gaps in need, to be sure not to duplicate efforts.
"This was the strongest earthquake in over 100 years in this region," he said. “It’s hard to imagine the level of fear that these kids, these families must have gone through.”
You can learn more, and support UNICEF USA, here.
This story has been updated with additional information.
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new york state
Kerry Shaw
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