BY EDIS MESIC
Individuals living on both sides of the border between Turkey and Syria were abruptly awakened by a terrifying rumble on Monday, February 6, 2023, at 4:17 am. Streets quickly filled with hordes of civilians rushing out of collapsing homes and buildings as a 7.8 magnitude earthquake tore through cities. With many roads demolished and swarms of people seeking a way out of the chaos, the region became nearly inescapable for survivors. Those unable to escape their homes in time faced an even more haunting fate, as thousands lay trapped under piles of rubble for hours praying. Just nine hours later, a second earthquake with a 7.5 magnitude struck the region, followed by thousands of aftershocks in subsequent months that traveled as far as 621 miles away [1].
The earthquake’s epicenter was the Turkish province of Kahramanmaras, located just above the border between Turkey and Syria. Since Turkey lies on two key faults—the North Anatolian Fault and the East Anatolian Fault—riddled with extensive inland faults, seismologists had been dreading a powerful rupture for decades. The Kahramanmaras earthquake was the highest magnitude earthquake ever recorded in Turkey since 1939, almost a century prior [2].
Apart from Kahramanmaras, eleven Turkish provinces were affected by the earthquake, most notably Gaziantep, Adana, and Sanliurfa. The region is home to 13 million people, equating to nearly 15 percent of the population. On the Syrian side, the earthquake devastated the cities of Aleppo, Latakia, Hama, and Idlib [3].
For those affected by the earthquake, life would never be the same. Before the earthquake, the province of Gaziantep enjoyed a rich cultural history and was considered the culinary capital of Turkey [4]. With local restaurants and bazaars in ruins after the earthquake, many were left without businesses, and many more felt stripped of their cultural identity. The tragedy also impacted the predominantly Muslim population in Turkey, with several centuries-old mosques like the Habib-i Neccar Mosque in Antakya—the oldest in Anatolia—severely damaged by the earthquake [1]. The “Turkish Fertile Crescent,” was responsible for nearly 20 percent of Turkey’s agricultural production before the earthquake. The earthquake resulted in significant economic damage to the region and the nation as a whole. In addition to disrupting food production, Antakya, which is a city in the “Turkish Fertile Crescent” region, was found to be the most affected urban area in the wake of the earthquake [1].
Over a year later, the figurative aftershocks of the earthquake are still felt across Turkey and Syria. As a Turk with friends who lived through the event, I have seen firsthand how the earthquake continues to affect life in southeastern Turkey. I recently had the opportunity to speak with my family friend Zerrin Arslan from Antakya, Turkey, to learn more about her story as an earthquake survivor.
“The apartment building I was living in was slightly damaged in the February 6 earthquake, but after the February 20 earthquake, it was heavily damaged and the apartment building was completely demolished,” Zerrin explained.
Prior to the earthquake, Zerrin had been living in Antakya since 2012, having to leave her former life behind and move in with her parents in the city of Mugla before her apartment complex was destroyed. According to Zerrin, many other earthquake victims unable to find housing or shelter in the city had to migrate to nearby villages, towns, districts, provinces, or homes of family and friends. During this time, organizations like the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) worked to provide temporary shelters for those in the city.
Like many others moving as a result of the earthquake, Zerrin has felt the difficulties of an abrupt change in lifestyle: “As an earthquake survivor, I would like to state that my life has completely changed due to forced migration, that my life is completely different from the life I had before the earthquake, and that I lived with my family for the first time in 40 years.” While Zerrin did not lose any family members due to the earthquake, she also dealt with the pain of losing close friends, colleagues, and students at Mustafa Kemal University, where she teaches as a sociology professor. The thoughts of those she knew trapped in rubble continue to haunt Zerrin to this day.
Apart from the challenge of rescuing those stuck underneath the rubble, basic needs such as food, clean water, toilets, hygiene, and personal care were hard to come by in the days following the disaster. Zerrin also recalls frequent power cuts, cold weather, inaccessible transportation, and damaged communication infrastructure as other key problems shortly following the earthquake.
As of this September, Zerrin is back in Antakya and returning to her normal academic routine, but the cultural atmosphere of the city has changed. As Zerrin details, much of the city has moved toward the Serinyol region, which was less affected by the earthquake. Located near Mustafa Kemal University, the Serinyol municipality has seen the opening of new markets, restaurants, and cafes as city inhabitants attempt to rebuild their lost social spaces. However, the city center of Antakya remains under constant construction, filled with cranes and machinery—constant reminders for Zerrin of what had been.
For Zerrin, besides steady economic support, the most important need for many Turks in earthquake-affected areas concerns personal health. As she relates, grappling with the psychological and emotional trauma of the earthquake has been a harrowing experience: “Sleep disturbances, constant anxiety, and even a sense of guilt for being alive is something that I and many people I spoke to had to cope with.” But with national aid organizations only left with a few offices providing minimal guidance and psychological counselors, mental health support remains one of the most pressing issues for Turks recovering from the tragedy.
Across Turkey and Syria, roughly 15.73 million people were directly impacted by the disaster, with over 55,000 dead and nearly 130,000 injured [3]. Over 300,000 buildings were destroyed by the earthquake: more rubble than ever produced before in an earthquake, according to the UN [1]. In Turkey alone, nearly 2.4 million people were displaced from their homes and forced to live in tents and other temporary shelters [5]. Yet, the housing crisis caused by the earthquake is far from being resolved. 761,000 of these displaced individuals are still homeless to this day, with an estimated one in every three children who lost their homes in the earthquake still left with no home to return to [5].
Access to key healthcare services was also disrupted by the earthquake, leaving millions of people in danger of diseases and further complications. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, almost one-third of health centers in Syria are completely non-operational. Destruction of water infrastructure in the affected region has also paved the way for outbreaks of virulent waterborne diseases, including cholera and Hepatitis A.3 Potential exposure to asbestos fibers left over by the immense remains of rubble and debris further introduced risks for respiratory disease and lung cancer [1].
With so much leftover rubble and waste, increasing instances of dumping debris in water channels, agricultural sites, and other non-designated “safe zones”—regions not cleared for waste disposal—has also introduced the threat of an environmental health crisis [1]. For the “The Fertile Crescent” region in particular, the contamination of soil and crops with hazardous chemicals would further ravage agricultural production.
As Zerrin mentioned, one of the most devastating aspects of the persisting health crisis caused by the earthquake has been childhood trauma and mental health struggles. In Syria, post-traumatic stress disorder and increasing instances of suicidal ideations were already widespread among children in war zones prior to the earthquake [3]. Turkey is home to the largest refugee population of any country in the world, and the grief, loss, and shock caused by the February 6 earthquakes only exacerbated the mental health difficulties faced by children across the region. On top of the horrors of losing family members, homes, and healthcare resources, the destruction of educational institutions as a result of the earthquake also contributed to the growing mental health crisis. Without the routine of daily schooling, many children had to confront a confusing new lifestyle defined by disruption.
In response to the various needs introduced by the earthquake, relief organizations have worked tirelessly to rebuild affected communities. One such organization, World Vision, has assisted approximately 1.8 million people across Turkey and Syria by providing heaters, shelters, clean water, hygiene kits, healthcare support, and educational resources. One of their key contributions was their offering of “psychological support sessions,” which have helped over 1,300 children heal from their traumatic experiences [3]. The Turkish Red Crescent Society has also contributed to earthquake relief by prioritizing food and blood donations. Volunteers within the society helped prepare meals for 764,020 earthquake survivors and set up blood donation centers at 300 points in Turkey, resourcing 1,506,002 people. On the Syrian side, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent has provided 6.8 million medical services, including mobile health centers that prioritize mental health support for children [6]. To ameliorate economic deficiencies, organizations like the International Rescue Committee even distributed emergency cash to support affected families [7].
However, over time, funding for relief organizations in Turkey and Syria has declined significantly, leaving the ongoing health crisis in the region unresolved. After initial donations for relief in Turkey and Syria, the pressing needs both countries faced began to slowly die out of the public consciousness. In July 2023, the United Nations Security Council did not renew its approval of humanitarian aid to northwest Syria, a decision affecting the lives of 4.1 million people left to battle war, poverty, and health risks on their own [8]. In January 2024, the World Food Program also cut its main source of aid to Syria, which previously provided food to over 3.2 million people. These cessations of large-scale humanitarian aid projects illustrate the growing issues of declining budgets and donor fatigue [9]. With so many worldwide conflicts and relief efforts overwhelming donors, prioritizing Turkey and Syria has become increasingly difficult. Without the constant influx of donations to enable volunteer organizations to provide top-tier care for those affected by the earthquake, the revitalization of the southeastern Anatolian region drifts further and further away from the realm of possibility.
To combat the decline in funding for earthquake relief, it is incumbent upon all of us to take an active role in ending the ongoing health crisis in Turkey and Syria. For those interested in contributing to earthquake relief, please consider donating to Doctors Without Borders, the primary humanitarian organization currently operating in the region affected by the earthquake. Any amount of support will help to continue providing critical resources like housing, healthcare, and educational services.
Over a year after February 6, 2023, the consequences of the Turkey/Syria earthquake still constrain both nations. As we approach nearly two years since the disaster, I hope that time brings more closure to this lingering crisis.
Edis Mesic is a first-year in Saybrook College.
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References
- A year of survival: Life in the Turkey-Syria earthquake zone. Al Jazeera [Internet]. 2024 Feb 8; Available from: https://interactive.aljazeera.com/aje/2024/a-year-of-survival-life-in-the-turkey-syria-earthquake-zones/
- The largest earthquakes in Turkey [Internet]. Available from: https://earthquaketrack.com/p/turkey/biggest
- Omer S. 2023 Turkey and Syria earthquake: Facts, FAQs, how to help [Internet]. World Vision. 2024. Available from: https://www.worldvision.org/disaster-relief-news-stories/2023-turkey-and-syria-earthquake-faqs
- Osterlund PB. Post-Earthquake efforts in Gaziantep – culinary backstreets [Internet]. Culinary Backstreets. 2023. Available from: https://culinarybackstreets.com/cities-category/istanbul/2023/after-the-earthquake-pain-and-solidarity-in-turkeys-culinary-capital/
- One in three children displaced by Turkey/Syria earthquake still homeless. Save the Children [Internet]. 2024 Feb 6; Available from: https://www.savethechildren.org.uk/news/media-centre/press-releases/one-in-three-children-displaced-by-turkey-syria-earthquake-still
- 2023 Turkey and Syria earthquake: one year on [Internet]. British Red Cross. Available from: https://www.redcross.org.uk/stories/disasters-and-emergencies/world/turkey-syria-earthquake
- One year later: The impact of the Syria-Türkiye earthquakes [Internet]. The IRC. 2024. Available from: https://www.rescue.org/article/one-year-later-impact-syria-turkiye-earthquakes
- Lederer EM. UN ends aid to northwest Syria from Turkey after Security Council fails to renew approval [Internet]. PBS News. 2023. Available from: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/un-ends-aid-to-northwest-syria-from-turkey-after-security-council-fails-to-renew-approval
- Chehayeb K. The World Food Program will end its main assistance program in Syria in January, affecting millions | AP News [Internet]. AP News. 2023. Available from: https://apnews.com/article/syria-world-food-program-food-aid-5daed470afbb1761dffe19e1fc4a8520
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