In the early morning hours of February 5th, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck southeastern Türkiye and northern Syria. The epicentre was located near the city of Gaziantep. Hours later, a second quake along the same fault line registered at 7.5 on the Moment Magnitude Scale (Mw). Hundreds of aftershocks followed both these quakes. The death toll is estimated in the thousands and is expected to climb significantly in the coming days.  

Hampering rescue efforts are cold temperatures with snow and rain. The freezing conditions are a danger to those left unsheltered in the aftermath of the earthquake. The number of injured are in the tens of thousands, these numbers are also expected to rise. Türkiye’s energy infrastructure has been severely damaged, thousands of buildings have crumbled and many roads are unusable. Syrian refugees already suffering through twelve years of civil war must now contend with the destruction the quake has wrought.  

We are currently responding to needs through our participation with the Canadian Foodgrains Bank network.