Türkiye

The Deadliest Earthquake in Two Decades

On February 6, two powerful earthquakes erupted across Türkiye and Syria. One of the deadliest earthquakes in over 20 years, the initial 7.8 magnitude earthquake was centered near Gaziantep, a city in south central Türkiye home to millions of Syrian refugees. The second 7.5 magnitude earthquake was felt nearly nine hours later, and almost 2,000 aftershocks have been reported. As of now, over 40,000 people have died, nearly 80,000 more have been injured, and 6,000 buildings have been destroyed – and numbers are only expected to rise. About 80,000 rescue personnel have been deployed, working in near-freezing temperatures searching for survivors among the rubble.  

Islamic Relief is working with local partners across Türkiye and Syria to distribute emergency relief. In Türkiye, families are receiving food aid, hygiene kits, blankets, and cash assistance to help pay for any other immediate needs. In Syria, families are being provided with food aid; access to water, sanitation, and hygiene; and other emergency items such as blankets, mattresses, tents, and heating materials. And in coming months, we plan to focus on long-term development aid. Join us and help support your brothers and sisters across Türkiye and Syria in their time of need.

Focus on Türkiye

Türkiye is one of the more advanced nations of those we work in across Europe. However, it’s still severely affected by poverty. High unemployment among youth and gender inequality have led to a significant setback in the economy, and inflation is rising as resources such as gas and electricity are almost unaffordable. In certain areas of the country, climate-induced natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, and forest fires are very common. To add, Türkiye is the largest refugee-hosting country in the world. As of last year, it’s home to nearly 4 million refugees, 3.5 million of which are Syrian.

Islamic Relief’s Dedication to Türkiye

​​Islamic Relief has been working in Türkiye since the early 2000s. Our goal is to provide emergency and long-term aid not only to residents of Türkiye, but Syrian and other refugee populations alike. 

A few of our interventions include:

• Emergency aid for families affected by natural disasters including the Van and Izmir earthquakes alike as well as floods and forest fires
• Humanitarian aid for Syrian and Iraqi refugees including access to basic needs such as food, healthcare, and education as well as orphan family support