A preliminary appeal for more than ten million Swiss francs (USD 11.4 million, Euro 8.2 million) has been issued by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). The funds will be used to support Turkish Red Crescent (TRC) assist 50,000 people in urgent need following the massive quake which hit the east of Turkey on Sunday.
The death toll from the 7.2 magnitude quake has exceeded 500 with some 1,700 injured. Many people are still missing and thousands are homeless. The freezing nights in the mountainous area surrounding the epicentre in Van province are a source of great concern, making re-fabricated houses and winterized tents among the most needed relief items.
The relief operation will prioritise sheltering the most vulnerable through the winter months, as thousands of homes have been destroyed or heavily damaged. The bulk of the aid sought is prefabricated houses and tents, with blankets, clothing and sleeping bags making up the remainder.
These shelter materials will be distributed all over Van province, with a detailed assessment already under way to determine where the needs are greatest. TRC is working alongside the authorities to ensure the most urgent cases are prioritised. This in-depth assessment will help to refine and increase the scope of the operation.
The damage caused to houses and infrastructure is enormous, both in urban and rural settings, and TRC is taking this into account in its planning. Many thousands of people are still sleeping in the open, in temperatures below freezing as the area is still experiencing aftershocks (including one of 5.7 magnitude yesterday in Van province). Even if houses are still standing, most residents are afraid to stay indoors.
The appeal will complement the rapid response already undertaken by hundreds of TRC staff and volunteers. Within minutes of Sunday’s quake the TRC crisis coordination centre in Ankara was established and the first response teams had been deployed to Van. Links with the IFRC’s zone office in Budapest were immediately activated and coordination mechanisms set up.
Disaster Management Centres across the country were put on high alert as aid poured into Van. By Sunday evening thousands of tents and blankets has already been provided, along with food aid, water and kitchen sets. Psychological support for people grieving or suffering from post-trauma shock was made available to quake-hit families and individuals, as was blood and blood products.
“Turkish Red Crescent’s response to this huge disaster has been rapid and commendable”, said Evgeni Parfenov, Head of Operations in the IFRC’s Europe Zone office. “Launching this appeal means the rest of the world can show its solidarity with Turkey and help one of its most remote regions recover from this tragedy.”
For more information, or to set up interviews, please contact:
In Van, Turkey: Alper Uluca, Disaster Management, Turkish Red Crescent, +905493099348, Turkish, English
In Ankara: Aydın Özdemir, Head of International Programmes, Turkish Red Crescent Society, phone: +90 5543409874, aydino@kizilay.org.tr, Turkish, English +90312 293 6003. Email: aydino@kizilay.org.tr
In Budapest: Joe Lowry, Communications Manager, IFRC Europe Zone, Budapest, +36709537712, joe.lowry@ifrc.org (English, French)
In Geneva: Jessica Sallabank, Senior Media Officer, Geneva, +41799481148, jessica.sallabank@ifrc.org English, French)
In Budapest: Evgeni Parfenov, Head of Operation, IFRC Europe Zone, +36709537722, evgeni.parfenov@ifrc.org (Russian, English)
Giovanni Zambello, Communications Delegate, IFRC Europe Zone, +36709537709 giovanni.zambello@ifrc.org, English, Italian, Spanish
Alberto Monguzzi, Disaster Management Delegate, IFRC Europe Zone, +36709537710, alberto.monguzzi@ifrc.org, Italian,English
David Lynch, Disaster Management delegate, IFRC Europe Zone, +36709537706, david.lynch@ifrc.org, English, Icelandic
Lourdes Perez, Resource Mobilisation manager, IFRC Europe Zone, +36709537720, lourdes.perez@ifrc.org, Spanish, Italian and English
Branimir Knezevic, Organisational Development Manager, IFRC Europe Zone, +36709537703, branimir.knezevic@ifrc.org, Serbian and English