The growing death toll from the earthquake in Türkiye and Syria is staggering, now at 11,700 with so many more missing, and tens of thousands left homeless.
With thousands of buildings reduced to rubble following the massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake on February 6, search teams have arrived from all over the world to help with the catastrophe, alongside the already overwhelmed local emergency services dealing with dangerous conditions over a wide area where aftershocks continue.
But amongst it all, there are stories of hope, determination and survival. These stories are sadly far too few when comprehending the scale of loss, but they are tiny reminders of the resilience of the human spirit, the desperation we have to save those we love as well as those we don’t know, and the miracles that can emerge amongst the worst possible devastation.
There is the baby girl born beneath the rubble. The baby was found alive – with the umbilical cord still connected to her mother, who sadly passed away. The baby is now the only surviving member of her family. It’s impossible to comprehend this tiny ray of hope from something so utterly awful.
There are stories of toddlers being found alive – a little girl call Nour, with her rescue caught on camera as the civil defence group the White Helmets desperately dug through the debris to reach her.
There are the two children who were rescued beneath the concrete of their family home after 36 hours, the older sister found stroking her little brother’s head, providing protection to his face with the small amount of movement she had in her arm as they were trapped between what appeared to be their bed and the concrete roof.
There is the father who was reunited with his three year old toddler after rescuers worked tirelessly to set the boy free. There was the infant found crying amongst the rubble in northwest Syria – believed to be the only survivor of a building collapse.
For now, days since the quake, rescue teams are continuing to dig to find survivors, with a reported 8,000 people rescued in Türkiye alone. It’s a rescue effort across a vast area, including 10 provinces in Türkiye that take in rural towns, villages and an ancient city. In Syria, rescuers are dealing with the complexities of a region that’s a decade into a civil war. Residents have spoken of children who have survived the war, only to be killed in this disaster.
And beyond the immediate response and rescue efforts will be the long recovery ahead.
With tens of thousands already homeless, the long recovery ahead will be further hampered again by poor weather, continuing conflict and tensions in the region, as well as a growing economic crisis.
It’s during these times that we know women and girls are particularly vulnerable – to homelessness, hunger, a lack of access to sanitary items and health services, and gender-based violence.
As we shared yesterday, studies show that disasters disproportionately impact women and girls, and exacerbate existing gender inequalities.
As UN Human Rights Council noted yesterday, “now is the time for solidarity”.
How can you help? Please consider supporting our partner Action Aid Australia’s Emergency Appeal.
Action Aid has an urgent appeal to support those affected by the earthquake in Türkiye and Syria. Their immediate response includes delivering warm clothing, creating temporary shelters, and supplying families with food, medical aid and cash vouchers. They are also providing protective and preventative services to women and children who are vulnerable to gender-based violence.
Check out Action Aid’s donation page here.