Business Brief: Earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria - Humanitarian Overview and Call to Action (16 February 2023)

OVERVIEW OF THE CRISIS

On 6 February 2023, two devastating earthquakes, measuring 7.7 and 7.6 magnitude on the Richter Scale, struck Kahramanmaraş, Türkiye. The initial earthquake was followed by over 3,100 aftershocks. Impacts have been felt across ten provinces in Türkiye as well as ten governorates in Syria, with the most severe impacts in Hatay, Kahramanmaras, and Gaziantep in Türkiye as well as Aleppo and Idleb in Syria.

The earthquakes and aftershocks have caused catastrophic devastation, with at least 9.1 million people directly impacted in Türkiye and an additional 8.8 million in Syria. As of 16 February, more than 41,000 people have been reported killed and tens of thousands more injured. These numbers likely under- represent the true scale of needs, which will become clearer as further assessments are concluded.

The earthquakes hit communities at the peak of winter, leaving hundreds of thousands of people — including small children and the elderly — without access to shelter, food, water, heaters and medical care in freezing cold temperatures.

HOW THE PRIVATE SECTOR CAN HELP

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is the part of the United Nations (UN) that is responsible for bringing together humanitarian actors to ensure a coherent response to emergencies. OCHA also ensures that there is a framework within which each actor — governments, international organizations, civil society, the private sector, and other stakeholders — can contribute to the overall response effort.

Working with a wide range of partners on the ground in Syria and Türkiye, OCHA has issued a Flash Appeal for the Syrian Arab Republic Earthquake (February - May 2023) as well as a Flash Appeal for the Türkiye Earthquake (February - April 2023) in support of the Government-led response.

Flash Appeals are issued after a major, sudden onset disaster that requires a coordinated response beyond the capacity of any one agency to respond to. They contain an analysis of the context along with sector-specific response plans and budgets to address acute humanitarian needs.

The best way for the private sector to help is by supporting the organizations and activities that are outlined in the Flash Appeals.