Year after quakes, Syrians still suffer fallout – UN
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – One year after devastating earthquakes that struck Syria and Turkey, the situation for millions of displaced people and their hosts remains dire, according to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).
The earthquakes exacerbated the already desperate conditions in both countries, with thousands still homeless and vulnerable.
In Syria, where 90 percent of the population lives under the poverty line, the impact is severe as 16.7 million people require assistance compared to 15.3 million in 2023, said UNHCR spokesperson Shabia Mantoo in a press briefing in Geneva on Tuesday.
She pointed out that the earthquake affected 8.8 million people in the country, further uprooting those who were already displaced. In northwestern Syria alone, over 40,000 people are still displaced and living in 70 temporary reception centers.
Around 60,000 lost their lives in both countries due to the earthquakes, and tens of thousands were reported injured. Furthermore, countless buildings turned into rubble, she added.
For their part, U.N. diplomats Adam Abdelmoula and Muhannad Hadi said in a joint statement that the earthquakes tragedy came “during a time when Syria was facing an unprecedented economic crisis – with 15.3 million people in need of humanitarian assistance.”
“Billions of dollars in damage aside, the human toll of this disaster is incalculable. Many people remain displaced to date, waiting for solutions and shelter,” the statement added.
The earthquakes served as a powerful reminder of the dire state of the crisis in Syria, highlighting the urgent need for early recovery efforts, they noted in the statement.
“Today, a staggering 16.7 million people require humanitarian assistance. This shocking number comes against the background of a bleak funding outlook and conflicts raging across the globe. This trend must urgently be reversed,” said the statement.