500.000 people displaced in Syria by earthquake – UNICEF
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) revealed in a press release on Monday that more than 500.000 people in Syria have been displaced by the devastating earthquake that hit the country on Feb. 6.
Many homes have been destroyed, leaving families without shelters “and many children are afraid to return to damaged homes as aftershocks continue,” the UNICEF said.
Syria had already had 6.7 million IDPs – including nearly three million children – and about the same number as refugees, 3.7 million of whom reside in quake-hit Turkey.
On Thursday, UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said that 3.7 million children in Syria have been affected by the earthquake.
Children in Syria have already experienced catastrophic events, said Russell. “Now, these earthquakes and aftershocks not only destroyed more homes, schools and places for children to play, they also shattered any sense of safety for so many of the most vulnerable children and families.”
Russell urged for not only providing “immediate relief” for those affected but also “commit to standing with these families for the long haul.”
In Syria, UNICEF needs $172.7 million to provide immediate life-saving assistance for 5.4 million people, including 2.6 million children, affected by the earthquake.