(Toronto) Canadian organizations working in areas devastated by the powerful earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria on Monday say they are working to help survivors access basic necessities following the the catastrophe.
More than 23,000 people were killed and thousands of buildings were destroyed after the 7.8 magnitude quake.
Several powerful aftershocks hit the area as millions of people were displaced.
Hassan Wadi, a member of Human Concern International, a Muslim-led NGO headquartered in Canada, said he traveled from Mississauga, Ont., to the Turkish town of Gaziantep this week to help the local team and agency partners deliver essentials to survivors, including meals, winter clothing and blankets.
Mr. Wadi said that most of the inhabitants of this city located near Syria have taken refuge in public buildings, mosques, tents and cars, since their houses were destroyed or damaged during the main earthquake and the earthquakes. many high-powered aftershocks.
“There is no heating. There is no hot water. It was very, very difficult,” he said in a telephone interview from Turkey on Thursday.
“We came to the mosque and saw hundreds of people sleeping there. They are families, they are elders. They are old people, children. And these are all people who once had homes,” he said.
Mr. Wadi said the cold weather in the region makes it even more urgent to provide winter clothing to survivors. “We were able to visit the camps here, all the people who have been displaced in tents, and provide them with mittens, gloves, hats, food,” he said.
“I’m here and I’m freezing. And I come from Canada, ”he added.
For its part, the NGO “GlobalMedic”, which has its headquarters in Toronto, says that two of its members have landed in Turkey and that two others will arrive there soon, in order to work with local partners and install purification units. water in the areas affected by the earthquake.
Following a disaster, access to basic supplies becomes almost impossible. This includes potable water, with earthquake damage disrupting existing infrastructure such as water reservoirs.
Excerpt from a GlobalMedic press release
“The GlobalMedic Rapid Response Team has deployed AquaResponse water purification units for use in the most affected areas,” she announced.
GlobalMedic said it was also shipping emergency kits including a ceramic water filter, solar lamps and hygiene items to Turkey and Syria, as well as a large infrastructure of tents that can be used as a hospital of campaign.
The Ottawa-based Catholic Association for Aid to the Orient said it was working to provide shelter materials to more than 2,000 families who survived the earthquake in northern Syria.
The organization said it was also working with local partners in the Syrian cities of Aleppo and Hama to provide bedding, food, medicine, infant formula, diapers and clothing to families who lost their home.
There is a general state of panic, exacerbated by bad weather, which complicates rescue efforts and the ability to collect and assess data and plan accordingly.
Excerpt from a statement by the regional director of the Catholic Aid Association, Michel Constantin
Talha Ahmed, CEO of Penny Appeal Canada — a non-profit organization based in Mississauga, Ontario. — said his organization was working with partners in Syria and Turkey to source supplies locally for those affected by the earthquake.
He said his group was also buying and shipping essential items, including hygiene kits and food parcels, from Dubai to the affected region.
Mr. Ahmed said it was difficult to deliver aid to people in Syria due to the ongoing war in that country. “Turkey gets a lot of global support, but Syria doesn’t get a lot,” Ahmed said. We are starting to focus a lot more on Syria, they need a lot more support. »
The first UN humanitarian aid trucks to enter the rebel-held area in northwestern Syria from Turkey arrived on Thursday, underscoring the difficulty of delivering aid to the country’s residents.
About 6.9 million people were internally displaced inside Syria before the earthquake and more than 6.8 million Syrians have been forced to flee their country since 2011, including 3.6 million in Turkey alone , according to the United Nations.
Financial support requested
Ahmed said the federal government should increase its aid commitment to help those affected by the quake. “I hope the numbers can increase,” he said.
I think it’s good to start with an 80, 90 or 100 million commitment. »
Ottawa said this week it will contribute $10 million to relief efforts in Turkey and Syria, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the federal government will match funds donated to Canadian Red Cross relief efforts until 10 millions.
International Development Minister Harjit Sajjan said the federal government was also considering providing additional aid.
“We are doing the needs assessment to look at what the next steps would be,” Sajjan said, adding that “nothing is on the table.”