Turkey, Syria: Response operations continue as death toll to rise following series of earthquakes in southern Turkey as of Feb. 17 /update 13

Event

Response operations continue amid widespread disruptions across parts of southern and east-central Turkey and northwestern Syria as of Feb. 17 following major earthquakes in the region Feb. 6. As of Feb. 17, casualty reports indicate more than 38,000 deaths in Turkey and nearly 6,000 deaths in Syria; more than 100,000 others have been injured in Turkey and over 14,500 in Syria. The death toll will likely continue to increase in the coming days. Isolated cases of survivors being found are still occurring; however, rescue operations are increasingly turning to recovery and reconstruction efforts across much of the affected area and attention is becoming focused on the humanitarian needs of the hundreds of thousands of displaced survivors. Around 200,000 people have been evacuated from affected areas of Turkey, and more than 1 million people are being housed in temporary accommodations across the region. Around 24.4 million people are estimated to have been affected by the earthquakes across Turkey and Syria. Cold temperatures also continue to hamper ongoing response and recovery efforts.

A magnitude-7.8 earthquake occurred around 37 km (23 miles) west-northwest of Gaziantep at around 04:17 Feb. 6 and has been followed by thousands of moderate-to-strong aftershocks, including a magnitude-6.7 tremor at around 04:28. Following the first major quake, a magnitude-7.5 earthquake occurred near Ekinozu in Kahramanmaras Province at around 13:24 Feb. 6 and has also been followed by a number of significant aftershocks, including a magnitude-6.0 earthquake at around 15:02 Feb. 6. The ongoing seismic activity may cause further damage to buildings weakened by preceding tremors.

Authorities in Turkey declared a three-month state of emergency in ten southern provinces Feb. 7. Extensive structural damage has been reported across Adana, Aiyaman, Diyarbakir, Gaziantep, Hatay, Kahramanmaras, Kilis, Malatya, Osmnaiye, and Sanliurfa provinces. More than 50,000 buildings have either collapsed or been heavily damaged across the affected areas. The General Directorate of Highways announced that all main arteries in the country were operational as of Feb. 8; however, some routes in and around the affected areas are blocked due to snowfall accumulations and landslides. The latest information on the status of roads can be found by clicking here.

Hatay Airport (HTY) reopened Feb. 12 after repairs to the runway were completed. All other airports in the affected area are open as of Feb. 17; however, aid cargo may be prioritized over civilian flights. Power and internet outages are ongoing in parts of southern Turkey, and damages have been reported along natural gas distribution lines. Parts of Adiyaman, Gaziantep, Hatay, Kahramanmaras, and Sanliurfa provinces remain without power or natural gas due to damage to infrastructure. Oil flows through the port of Ceyhan were temporarily suspended Feb. 6-7. Operations were also disrupted at the port of Iskenderun in Hatay Province after the earthquake caused structural damage and triggered a fire; the port resumed full operations Feb. 10. Authorities in Turkey have issued warrants for the detention of 131 people suspected of being responsible for collapsed buildings; bad construction is suspected to have multiplied the damage.

In Syria, severe damage has been reported across parts of Aleppo, Hama, Idlib, Latakia, and Tartus provinces. More than 9,000 buildings have been completely or partially destroyed across parts of rebel-controlled areas of northwestern Syria, rendering at least 11,000 people homeless. Tens of thousands of people have also been displaced in Aleppo and Latakia provinces. The earthquake has affected more than 280,000 people in northwestern Syria who require shelter or emergency relief commodities. Damage to the Tal Talum Dam in Idlib’s Harim District and the rising water levels of the Orontes River resulted in the flooding of approximately 1,000 houses in nearby villages of Salqin District, including Hardana, Delbiya, Jakara, and Hamziyeh, and forced around 7,000 people to evacuate.

The White Helmets civil defense agency has declared a disaster zone in northwestern Syria due to the extensive damage caused. Access to the only UN-approved border crossing with Turkey at Bab al-Hawa in Idlib Province was hindered by damage to surrounding roads in the initial days following the earthquakes; however, the first convoys managed to pass through the crossing Feb. 9 and hundreds of trucks have passed through since. Syria has also permitted the use of two additional crossings at Bal al-Salam and Bab al-Raee, with the first aid trucks passing through the former crossing Feb. 14. Damage to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure in Syria is exacerbating the risk of water-borne disease and other hazards. A cholera outbreak has been ongoing in Syria since Sept. 2022; the effects of the earthquake could exacerbate the cholera outbreak in affected areas.

Further strong-to-moderate aftershocks are likely over the coming days. Ongoing utility outages are likely, particularly near the earthquake's epicenter.

Advice

Consider avoiding nonessential travel to the impacted area. If operating in the area, vacate multistoried buildings or unreinforced structures in areas where strong shaking occurred; aftershocks could cause additional damage. Cellular networks may be overwhelmed; use text messaging if services are available. Due to the threat of landslides, seek updated information on road conditions before driving in hilly areas in the affected area.