The powerful earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria on 7 February has devastated the region, with nearly 44,000 lives lost and up to 23 million people impacted. The earthquake and aftershocks have created a ‘crisis within a crisis’, affecting people already living in a protracted conflict zone. In both countries, many of the hardest-hit communities are home to refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) who have survived over a decade of conflict. They are now without basic necessities - shelter, food, and water - and facing freezing temperatures. More than a week following the original earthquake, the needs of these communities remain acute, particularly regarding their health and medical care.
The Humanitarian Research Lab (HRL) has a history of working with partners in and from the region. Many humanitarian organizations are working hard to deliver aid to those who need it most. As the needs resulting from the massive earthquake continue to grow, there are many ways to help. Included below are links to information prepared by YSPH and organizations on the ground, organizations that are active and ways to support their work, and statements from the Yale community on this tragedy.
Dr. Kaveh Khoshnood, Faculty Director of the Yale School of Public Health Humanitarian Research Lab, moderated a discussion on January 20 between Karam Alhamad, MPP Candidate Jackson School of Global Affairs and Charles Lister, Director of the Middle East Institute’s Syria and Countering Terrorism & Extremism programs, on the response to the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria and the challenges posed by this complex emergency.
The HRL has long supported techniques, including verbal autopsy through collaboration with MakeDeathsCount NGO, that can provide closure to family members and help public officials understand the true toll of mass casualty events such as this catastrophic earthquake.
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