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Selim Kutlu

One of the Deadliest Earthquakes of the Century: 2023 Turkey and Syria Earthquakes

Photo cred. for cover image: Sky News


On February 6, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit southeastern Turkey and northern Syria, with a 7.5 magnitude aftershock–10 times stronger than the maximum expected. Another two earthquakes struck two weeks after the first quakes. Another struck three weeks afterwards. The earthquakes were remarkably destructive in an area already in the international limelight due to a decade-long civil war and the subsequent refugee crisis.


Photo Credit: Can Erok

According to The New York Times, over 50,000 people have died, with more than 43,000 dead in Turkey and 5,500 in Syria. 1.7 million have been displaced. 10 different provinces in Turkey are under a state of emergency, and more than 230,000 relief workers are leading the rescue and aid efforts. Foreign aid is also present, with dozens of countries having sent aid in the form of teams and supplies.


In Canada, the federal government is donating $10 million in aid to Turkey and Syria. The federal government states that the civil war in Syria has complicated aid efforts reaching the earthquake-stricken part of the country, in addition to the earthquake’s damages to infrastructure..

Considering the 4.1 million Syrians depending on humanitarian aid, the lack of access to the country and the unstable political situation is a serious issue. In addition, the Turkish-Syrian border has been practically closed to refugees, leaving the displaced with nowhere to go. Fortunately, the Canadian government is looking into what can be done for those impacted in Syria. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Minister Sean Fraser told reporters:


We don't have a full picture of that quite yet. I expect in the days ahead we'll have a better understanding of whether people who are destined for Canada have been impacted, and what we might need to do differently to accommodate their needs.


There have been critics of the government’s stance towards foreign aid to Syria, with Heather McPherson from the New Democratic Party stating that “the scale of the crisis will require more [aid].” In terms of aid, local organizations, like the White Helmets in northern Syria are left to fend for themselves because of Western wariness towards providing aid to Syria due to the Assad regime’s history of aid diversion. Much damage was already sustained to the healthcare and infrastructure of the area before the earthquakes, with the earthquakes escalating the humanitarian situation to new heights.



Photo Credit: Omar Haj Kadour Agence France-Presse

In Turkey, the earthquakes came 4 months before a major election. Over the past year, the government was under major scrutiny for spikes in inflation. The government’s response to the earthquakes was criticized as “slow and inadequate,” mounting further challenges to the Erdogan administration. Many are also worried about the logistics of holding an election under such conditions, although President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says that the election will be held.


The Turkish government is under further criticism regarding the weak enforcement of building regulations, leading to poor construction. Questions regarding the strength of the buildings against earthquakes were raised after 5,700 buildings in the quake-hit area collapsed. After the 1997 Istanbul earthquake and a major construction boom, the Turkish building codes were now “world-class,” however, after the recent quakes, it became evident that the codes were not followed, due to conflicts of interest and the rise of private inspection companies . The government, which had previously provided amnesty to over 75,000 poorly constructed buildings in the earthquake area, responded by arresting developers and architects.


The aid effort continues. Relatives are still searching for loved ones, calling morgues and hunting in fields of mass graves a month after the earthquakes.


Here in Canada, the Canadian Red Cross is hosting the Earthquake in Turkey & Syria Appeal. The federal government matched $10 million in donations on February 12. Click here to donate.



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