Turkey Earthquake Emergency Appeal

When did the Turkey earthquake happen?

Having recently received the devastating Turkey earthquake news, we know that it occurred at 04:17 local time on 6 February 2023, killing upwards of 11,000 people as they slept. Just hours after the initial quake, a second one occurred. In addition to the thousands that the quake killed, many more found themselves trapped and injured.

Where in Turkey was the earthquake?

The initial earthquake occurred near the city of Gaziantep, and the second hit the Elbistan district of Kahramanmaras province. Despite this, the damage wasn’t exclusive to each area. The Turkey earthquake death toll expands as far as Syria, making this the most devastating earthquake that the country has seen since 1999.

The Effects of the Earthquake in Turkey

In addition to the Turkey earthquake deaths, the tremor with a 7.8 magnitude and depth of 17.9km has left thousands injured and homeless. In fact, at least 49,385 people in Turkey have been hurt, as well as 2,285 in Syria. This is on top of the multiple structures that have collapsed, including four or five-storey buildings that have been left as nothing but rubble.

Many of the victims were already in unstable conditions prior to the earthquake, with millions of refugees living in camps on either side of the border. Since homes in refugee camps aren’t built to be permanent structures, this makes them even more vulnerable to the threat of natural disasters. As a result, thousands of refugees are finding themselves not only displaced but homeless, too.

What’s more, the current freezing and snowy conditions are making it even harder to rescue those in need.

Make Your Turkey Earthquake Donation

In order to help those who need it most, UKIM has launched an emergency appeal. We need your donations to facilitate this aid.

So many people have lost their homes and livelihoods and are in desperate need of assistance. Please, give what you can, and work with us to save lives.