On 6 February, two massive earthquakes struck south Türkiye and northwest Syria. The first earthquake, near the Turkish city of Gaziantep, was the deadliest to hit the region in decades. According to the local authorities, more than 50,000 people were killed, 107,000 injured, and over 15 million affected across 11 provinces. In addition, hundreds of thousands of buildings were heavily damaged or destroyed.

In the following weeks, thousands of aftershocks occurred, causing more casualties and destruction, and adding to the trauma of survivors. MSF immediately sent emergency teams to several affected areas and communicated our readiness to provide assistance to the authorities. 

However, as MSF was not registered in the country, we were not permitted to assist the state response, so instead supported Turkish civil society and non-governmental organisations, including Imece Inisiyatifi, Yardım Konvoyu, Maya Vakfı, and TARDE, to address some of the most acute humanitarian needs in Adıyaman, Gaziantep, Hatay, Kahramanmaraş, Kilis and Malatya provinces.  

Through these partnerships, we carried out water and sanitation activities, including providing toilets and showers, and distributed relief items, such as hygiene kits, tents, tarpaulins, warm clothing, blankets, nappies, jerry cans and firewood, as well as drinking water and food. Our teams helped construct shelters, which served as essential spaces for people to receive psychosocial support and access hygiene facilities.

Mental health support was a key component of our intervention. In collaboration with our partner organisations, we offered psychological support to families of victims, first-response volunteers, Syrian refugees, and search and rescue teams.  

By the end of May, the most acute needs had been largely met, and we handed over the majority of our activities, while continuing to provide remote support to local organisations for the rest of the year.