Cologne/Gaziantep. After the severe earthquake in Türkiye and Syria early Monday morning, Malteser International provides $ 430,000 emergency aid for the people in the affected areas. It is estimated that more than 4,000 people have died in the quake so far. Hundreds of buildings were completely destroyed and the infrastructure was massively damaged. Aid workers continue to search for survivors under the rubble and care for the injured. The international community supports the local units. Malteser International (MI) has also sent an emergency relief team to the affected region.

“The situation is dramatic. The rescue of the buried people is difficult, and health facilities are overloaded. The cold temperatures, snow and rain are not only complicating rescue efforts, but also the situation for the people in camps along the Turkish-Syrian border,” said Dr. Salah Safadi, Health Manager of Malteser International in Gaziantep. “Many have spent the night outside in freezing temperatures. The people need help quickly.”

Blankets, mattresses, tents, hot meals and dry food are needed in particular. The relief goods will be procured locally and distributed to the people affected by the earthquake through our local partners. Malteser International provides $430,000 as emergency aid for the procurement of relief goods. The procurement is based on the current most urgent needs reported by the country office MI in Türkiye.

Since 2012, Malteser International has been supporting health structures and water and sanitation in Syria through local partners and has supported Syrian refugees in Türkiye.

Malteser International (MI) works as an international humanitarian aid organization. It is an aid organization of the Catholic Order of Malta and particularly fulfills the order’s mission of “helping those in need”. The mission is to improve the health and living conditions of suffering and displaced people worldwide. The organization provides aid to people in need in over 140 projects in 35 countries, regardless of religion, political persuasion, origin, or gender. Christian values and the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence form the basis of its work.