Cáritas Española has mobilized an initial consignment of 200,000 euros to attend to the humanitarian emergency caused by the earthquakes registered this Monday in southeastern Turkey and northern Syria. So far, the earthquakes have caused more than 5,000 deaths and hundreds of thousands of injuries.
“The concern that both Caritas Turkey and Caritas Syria transmit to us is the high number of people who have lost their homes in the middle of winter. The earthquakes surprised them while they were sleeping and they went out into the street wearing what they were wearing despite the fact that the temperature was below zero”, he explains. Carmen Gomez de Barredafrom the International Cooperation team of Cáritas Española.
The humanitarian response of both Cáritas is focusing precisely on opening listening channels to provide information to those affected about refuge spaces.
In the case of Turkey, the most affected region is the Diocese of Anatolia. Its cathedral, in the city of Iskenderun (in the south of the country), completely collapsed and the offices and spaces of Caritas suffered extensive damage.
“Caritas Anatolia, in coordination with the authorities, is gathering displaced people in safe open spaces and trying to distribute some hot meals and clothing. The dioceses of Izmir and Istanbul are supporting and collecting materials to send aid to the Anatolian Region”, explains Carmen Gómez de Barreda.
refuge centers
In the case of Syria, the earthquake deepens the drama of a country that has dragged on for more than a decade a civil war that has left half a million dead and 6.6 million refugees. “The first response is focused on setting up shelter centers to shelter people who have lost their homes. In addition, food and, above all, shelter are being provided, since people have fled their homes with what they were wearing,” he stresses. Barbara Lawrencefrom the International Cooperation team of Cáritas Española.
Caritas Syria offices in Aleppo and Latakia were badly damaged, with many of the staff, as well as 4,500 affected families, sleeping inside religious buildings or in their cars, due to the particularly severe weather. Caritas Syria is mobilizing staff and volunteers from Damascus and Homs, and is conducting a needs assessment to implement a rapid response.
Given the devastating impact of the earthquakes, the national Cáritas that operate in both countries have warned about the difficulties they have on the ground to receive and distribute aid in kind. “Aid in kind is very complicated, so the delivery of cash is prioritized,” says Bárbara Lorenzo.
Faced with this dramatic situation, Caritas Española has expressed its solidarity and closeness to Cáritas Turkey and Cáritas Syria and has mobilized an initial amount of 200,000 euros to support the response plan. Likewise, it has opened an emergency campaign “Caritas with Turkey and Syria” to channel the solidarity of its Spanish donors to help the victims of this natural catastrophe.
