As of February 9, 143 trucks have passed Bab al-Hawa and Bab al-Salam border crossings, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). “Movements continue today, they continue on weekends and will continue daily for as long as there is demand,” OCHA spokesman Jens Laerke told journalists in Geneva.
When asked about quake damage to roads leading to the aid corridor, an OCHA spokesperson mentioned the information that “all roads through all intersections are accessible. pass and you can drive there…I was in Bab al-Hawa a few days ago and the truck really rolled over.”
Amid the heavy devastation in both Türkiye and Syria following the twin earthquakes on 6 February, aid workers continue to emphasize that The full extent of the disaster is still unfolding. In response to that message, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) warned on Thursday that earthquake damage in Syria threatens “immediate and long-term food security” in Syria.
In Türkiye, an estimated 15 million people were affected, while in Syria 8.8 million people were affected. Humanitarian assistance is urgently needed, as relief teams have witnessed Aleppo first-hand, especially after more than a decade of war.
Cracks in buildings – and people
Fabrizio Carboni, Regional Director of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), said: “I am completely overwhelmed by not only the level of devastation but also the loss that families have to endure, you know, you know. , in just 60 seconds. Middle East.
“For the first time I saw that there were not only cracks and cracks in the buildings, but for the first time I actually saw that our colleagues who you spoke to in Syria, they were really injured, and something was broken.”
Aid blocked from Damascus
Speaking to journalists in Geneva, the ICRC official also made a strong appeal to the diagonal Aid shipments from Damascus are allowed to pass through the northwestern region largely controlled by the opposition: “We tried to enter Idlib through the border and unfortunately, so far we have been blocked. So I don’t have direct information about the paths and approaches but we are ready to join but so far we are blocked to make diagonalHopefully this can change soon.”
Families displaced by the earthquake are sheltering in tents in Aziz, Syria.
Hot meals, family servings
As part of the United Nations-wide response, the World Food Program (WFP) reported on Thursday that it has ramped up its emergency response to nearly half a million people affected by the earthquake in Türkiye and Syria, providing hot meals, emergency food packs and family rations.
“Families told me they left everything behind when the earthquake hit, running for their lives. WFP’s food is their salvation; While they think about the next steps to tackle the devastation left by the earthquake, their children can eat, said Corinne Fleischer, WFP’s regional director for the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe.
She added: “We have scaled up rapidly and requests for more food are coming in every day from cities and communities. We are there for them, but WFP cannot do it alone. We urgently asking for funding to help us reach those in need.”
Prevent a health disaster
Caroline Holt, global operations director at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), confirms:
“In Türkiye, we are greatly assisting with the Turkish Red Crescent in the field to assist with housing, food, laundry, health and cash needs.”
In Syria, the IFRC is working with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent to support people with basic needs and household supplies, including medical, psychosocial, and clean water support. With cholera already emerging in Syria, access to safe water “is critically important to avoid a second potential disaster, that second health disaster happening,” Holt said.
The UN-led flash appeal for both countries was issued this week – ask for 1 billion dollars for Türkiye to help 5.2 million people in three months and a $397 million humanitarian appeal for nearly five million people in Syria – started with a $50 million endowment from United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund.
Agricultural communities have also been hit hard
Stressing the need for lasting support in the region, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) stressed that need more help for farming communities affected by the crisis.
They are still reeling from the disaster, especially those who have opened their homes to survivors from nearby towns and cities.
Urgent needs include assessing the extent of damage to agriculture and the food supply chain, including irrigation systems, roads, markets and storage capacity.
Food security is a long-term threat
In Syria, worrisome early signs point to major disruptions to crop and livestock production capacity. threaten “immediate and long-term food security”,” said the FAO.
“This includes damage and loss to livestock, farm equipment and infrastructure such as greenhouses, irrigation, storage facilities, as well as food and feed production facilities, among others.”
To support and help rural communities restore basic food production, FAO notes that their priority activities include providing animal feed, seeds, seedlings, fertilizers, fuel, and animal feed. materials, tools, equipment, vaccinations for livestock and unconditional cash transfers for one to three months.
Job support in Türkiye
In Türkiye, FAO has also supported community families affected by the earthquake and displaced, with a focus on supporting employment. FAO’s Syrian Refugee Recovery Plan aims to support 250,000 people with $71.8 million in funding.
