MORE buildings have collapsed buildings in Türkiye and Syria after another earthquake hit the region, already devastated by a massive tremor two weeks ago that claimed more than 45,000 lives.
Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu has said three people were killed and 213 injured. The death toll could rise as reports from remote regions are collected.
Türkiye’s disaster management agency, AFAD, said the latest magnitude-6.4 quake was centred around the town of Defne.
It was followed by a second, magnitude-5.8 tremor.
The quake was felt in Syria, Jordan, Israel and Egypt.
The magnitude-7.8 earthquake that struck on February 6 in Türkiye and Syria caused widespread devastation. Turkish authorities have recorded more than 6,000 aftershocks since.
As recovery efforts continue, Caritas Australia has welcomed the Albanese Government’s announcement it will contribute an additional $25 million to help address food insecurity in the Horn of Africa, Yemen and Pakistan, and a further $8 million for earthquake assistance in Türkiye and Syria.
“We know how sorely this is needed – we have heard about catastrophic levels of hunger from our partners. We commend this generosity towards some of the parts of the world that have been hardest hit by hunger and disaster,” said Damian Spruce, Caritas Australia’s advocacy associate director.
“We’ve been hearing from our partners in Somalia and Ethiopia about how dire the circumstances are for people on the ground. Without question, additional funding will make an enormous difference where it matters most,” Dr Spruce said.
The $25 million in additional funds for food insecurity will go towards providing food, water and other essential support to assist the 350 million people facing hunger.
Millions of people live in hunger hotspots like the Horn of Africa and Yemen. Famine is projected between April and June this year in some areas of Somalia that are already experiencing very high levels of acute malnutrition and mortality.
The $8 million in funding for Türkiye and Syria will go towards providing lifesaving assistance for those made vulnerable by the earthquakes.
“We have been hearing horrifying stories from our partners in Türkiye and Syria and we know that we need to respond quickly to save lives. Families are desperate for any support they can get – they urgently need blankets, hot meals and clean water,” Dr Spruce said.
