In response to this major earthquake in Syria and Turkey, EU-CORD members have come together to provide much-needed aid and support to those affected.
Hungarian Baptist Aid was one of the first organisations to respond, sending its Rescue24 International Fire and Rescue Team to Turkey to assess the situation and provide assistance.
The special rescuers have to check around two thousand houses in Antakya, a settlement near the Syrian border, where many people may still be trapped under the ruins. The search dogs that arrived with the Baptist team started working four-hour shifts, four at a time. The HUBA Rescue24 International Fire Brigade, Search and Rescue Team and an emergency medical team with 19 specialists and 7 rescue dogs, arrived in Antakya near the Syrian border on Tuesday late afternoon, under the direction of commander László Pavelcze, HBAid’s Emergency Management Director. They set up their base there and immediately began the search based on the coordinates provided by the locals. Stay updated on the Rescue24 Teams efforts: Hungarian Baptist Aid | Facebook
Medair, a Swiss-based humanitarian organization, is responding in Syria, with a particular focus on Aleppo where they have had an office for several years. Medair will provide aid in WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene), shelter, and repairing and equipping clinics.
Dorcas (Netherlands) is present in North-West Syria, Aleppo, Idlib, and Hama. They have already started distributing hot meals to those in need, and their main initial response will include providing food and shelter, health services, and protection.
ZOA (Netherlands) is responding in Syria and is well-positioned to provide aid due to its presence in the country. They will be working in consortia with other organizations to maximize their impact.
Fida (Finland) is responding through Hungarian Baptist Aid and a church in Turkey.
Mission East (Denmark), a humanitarian organization based in Denmark, is exploring ways to respond to the disaster and has started a fundraising campaign to support its efforts.
Other EU-CORD members, such as LM International, are looking to support implementing organisations with funding support.
In times of crisis, it is heartening to see organizations come together to provide aid and support to those in need. The efforts of EU-CORD members to respond to this disaster will significantly impact the lives of those affected and help bring some comfort and relief in these difficult times.
