Earthquake survivors in Southeast Türkiye hit once again by devastating floods

• More than 14 people killed by heavy flooding in Southeast Türkiye, and at least 5 people still missing.
• Many Syrian and Turkish families affected by the floods had already been displaced by last month’s earthquakes.
• World Vision teams are mobilising fast to provide drinking water, blankets and mattresses to displaced families in Salinurfa.
• We are also calling on all donors and member states convening at the March 20th conference in Brussels to scale up funding dedicated to the earthquake emergency response in both Türkiye and Syria.

17 March 2023 – Severe floods have recently hit earthquake-affected areas in Southeast Türkiye, killing at least 14 people, while at least 5 others remain missing.  Many Turkish and Syrian residents of Sanliurfa, Adiyaman, Diyarbakir, Mardin and Malatya had already been displaced following last month’s earthquakes and are now facing another natural disaster.

The heavy rainfall and subsequent flooding have had a devastating impact on residents’ cars, homes, caravans and tents, impacting their living conditions even further. High levels of stagnating water inundating streets and homes also means that they risk being exposed to waterborne diseases which can spread rapidly. According to our teams who are on the ground, many residents of the city have been left without access to safe drinking water since the floods have decimated the water infrastructure there.

World Vision quickly mobilised its teams that were already present on the ground following last month’s earthquakes. Together with our local partner Orange, we are distributing 800 five litre bottles of drinking water, in addition to 1,026 blankets and mattresses to more than 2,500 affected residents in Salinurfa, one of the cities most impacted by the floods in Southeast Türkiye.

Last month, powerful earthquakes shook Southern Türkiye and Northern Syria resulting in more than 50,000 casualties.  World Vision teams and partners were quick to respond and sounded the alarm on rising humanitarian needs that are far greater than any other natural disaster they have responded to in over a decade. Children in particular have become more vulnerable to exploitation and abuse due to recurring displacement and deteriorating living conditions resulting from these natural disasters.
 

Johan Mooij, World Vision's Syria Response Director says:

“The people of Southeast Türkiye had already been deeply impacted by the powerful earthquakes of February 6th, and this week’s flooding has only added to their trauma and suffering. Syrian and Turkish children and their families are being displaced once again as cars, homes and tents are drowning in contaminated waters, and have nowhere safe or warm to sleep.”

“Displaced children will inevitably become more vulnerable to exploitation and abuse as their economic and living conditions continue to deteriorate following this series of natural disasters. They also risk being exposed to waterborne diseases and hypothermia if humanitarian assistance is not mobilized quickly enough to cover their basic needs.”

“We must scale up our efforts to help affected children and their families recover from these life altering events. We call on all donors and member states convening at the March 20th conference in Brussels to step up their funding contributions dedicated to the earthquake emergency response in both Türkiye and Syria.