Türkiye Earthquake Relief

February 2023 – September 2023

In Türkiye, over 200 international volunteers came together to address the needs of communities affected by the 7.8 magnitude earthquake on February 2023. Our team initially addressed the immediate needs of earthquake survivors and then identified long-term projects that offered comfort and a sense of normalcy to internally displaced communities. This program positively impacted over 11,500 lives and exemplified our commitment to arrive early and stay late when media fades and disaster-impacted communities are still in need.

Our Work

All Hands and Hearts’ Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) arrived in Istanbul, Türkiye, on February 7, just 24 hours after the devastating earthquake struck the region. During the seven-month program, our team successfully constructed two community centers and an earthbag library building, erected four shade structures to enhance the living conditions in four distinct internally displaced persons (IDP) camps and rejuvenated three playgrounds within schools affected by the earthquakes.

Additionally, the team established meaningful partnerships with five NGOs, collaborating on vital tasks such as food preparation, donation sorting, and distribution. Furthermore, we initiated impactful community engagement initiatives to address the psychosocial needs of internally displaced communities. These initiatives included activities for children across six different areas within Kahramanmaras and sewing workshops for women in two villages and left a lasting positive impact on the region.

Disaster Profile

On February 6, 2023, at 4:17 local time, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck southern Türkiye and northern Syria. Three aftershocks followed at 4:28 am (6.7 M), 1:24 pm (7.5M) and 3:02 pm (6.0M). All quakes were shallow, with epicenters in and around Kahramanmaras, and affected the nearby cities of Gaziantep, Adana, and Hatay, extending hundreds of miles around the area. On February 20, a 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck Hatay, killing another eight people and injuring 300. Several more buildings collapsed in Hatay, destroying much of what remained in an already severely damaged city.

Estimates identify millions of people are displaced, and the official death count is almost 60,000, with the likelihood that the actual numbers are significantly higher.