Northwestern #Syria — #Idlib & #Aleppo in particular — have suffered 12yrs of brutal conflict. More than 65% of the basic infrastructure of the area is destroyed or heavily damaged.
Tonight’s earthquake couldn’t have hit a more vulnerable region.
An absolute disaster.
Utterly horrific reports coming from all across NW #Syria - every town I’ve heard from has dozens of buildings flattened. People stuck under the rubble.
Any many, many casualties — including children.
@SyriaCivilDefe will be heroes tonight, working amid heavy rain & sleet.
I’ve heard from x3 hospitals in #Idlib & N. #Aleppo — all are full, every bed taken by emergency cases following tonight’s earthquake.
As rescuers & civilians seek to extract people & belongings from rubble, there’s mass panic about aftershocks.
@SyriaCivilDefe stretched thin.
NW #Syria is home to the world’s biggest & most acute humanitarian crisis — & thanks to #Russia, the international community can provide aid through only one crossing point, to 4.5 million people.
Disaster response isn’t part of that equation & #Assad’s regime won’t give any.
#Turkey has requested international emergency assistance & they should get it ASAP.
But a major global effort needs to mobilize *now* to assist #NW #Syria - a semi-besieged, war-scarred region with 4.5 million of the worlds most vulnerable people.
But it’ll require bold action.
If #Assad’s regime had its way, NW #Syria would be besieged into brutal submission. It opposes *any* humanitarian aid.
An international disaster relief operation would require acting unilaterally — otherwise this population will remain abandoned to fend for themselves. Again.
One single hospital in one town of NW #Syria (in #Atareb) has reported 18 deaths already — per @sams_usa.
At a rough count, I’ve seen ~25 more deaths reported elsewhere, but expect these numbers to rise, I fear considerably.
BREAKING - sustained and very strong aftershock just now at the epicenter of last night’s earthquake in S #Turkey & NW #Syria.
That’s what everyone feared, as rescues continue & structures struggled to stand.
The latest death tolls from #Syria total 850+ dead — but the number is likely to rise markedly, as rescue operations continue apace & that aftershock will have made things a lot worse.
What an unfathomable disaster, amid winter & a spiraling economic collapse.
The Turkish Army, which has 70+ positions across #Idlib, is dispatching rescue teams with heavy equipment to rescue civilians under the rubble.
One source told me “100s” probably “1,000s” are buried under collapsed buildings - many alive & screaming for help.
One @sams_usa hospital in Atareb in W. #Aleppo has reported 89 dead with "many more" serious cases evacuated to Bab al-Hawa on the #Turkey border.
That's from one town, 150km from the epicenter.
@sams_usa This is what remains of an orphanage in #Sarmada, #Idlib -- one young child was killed & 5 injured.
50 others, by some miracle, managed to escape unhurt.
@sams_usa #Turkey death toll has reach 1,121 & 7,634 more wounded. A total of 2,834 buildings have been completely destroyed.
In #Syria, we're looking at 900+ dead, but the rescue efforts are struggling capacity-wise & the infrastructure was far more vulnerable.
What a tragedy.
@sams_usa In #Salqin, #Idlib -- this boy was trapped under the collapsed upper floor of a multi-story building, his body hanging over the edge.
By some miracle, he's been extracted alive.
@sams_usa Here are 2 comments I've heard this morning from NW #Syria, that place this catastrophe in its broader horrific context:
- "Those living in tents are the lucky ones."
- "At least we're not being bombed this time, while we rescue people in the rubble."
@sams_usa Bear in mind that NW #Syria is currently home to ~2.8 million displaced people -- a majority of whom reside in IDP camps.
Most of the camps were already over-capacity, but the scale of destruction caused by this earthquake is going to see camps swell more than ever before.
@sams_usa I'm seeing lots of pledges of international support & disaster relief to #Turkey -- & a #Russia mission to help #Damascus.
But no indication of any international effort to assist the 5 million most vulnerable people in NW #Syria.
Yes it's complex, but it's urgently needed.
@sams_usa This is a residential area on the outskirts of Harem in #Idlib.
24hrs ago, there were 25 separate 5-storey buildings -- but today, it's all rubble.
Locals say 500-700 may have died in Harem, altogether.
@sams_usa "Thousands" of homes have been destroyed in NW #Syria -- meaning 10,000s of civilians are likely now homeless, without any form of shelter.
IDP camps look likely to swell, while they're already far beyond capacity.
Meanwhile, the UN says cross-border aid has been hit hard.
@sams_usa Prior to the earthquake, the UN said cross-border aid into NW #Syria was only 40% funded.
Now the main road leading to Bab al-Hawa has been heavily damaged, which will severely curtail meaningful aid flows.
The displacement & humanitarian crisis is spiraling as you read this.
@sams_usa I just saw a video from #Antakya Hospital in southern #Turkey -- there must have been 100+ dead bodies filling multiple hallways, each covered with blankets.
A complete disaster.
@sams_usa The #HTS-linked Salvation Government in #Idlib has issued a public call for foreign journalists & news channels to "cover the disaster left by the earthquake."
"We affirm our readiness to coordinate & arrange media work for all media outlets & journalists," they say.
@sams_usa The death toll in NW #Syria has risen to 700, with 2,000+ wounded.
@SyriaCivilDefe says "hundreds" more bodies remain stuck under rubble, so this toll will continue to rise.
@sams_usa @SyriaCivilDefe For now, official death tolls suggest 3,000+ have died in #Turkey & #Syria combined.
The @WHO just said it's possible 20,000 may have been killed by the earthquake.
Meanwhile, NGOs in NW #Syria have confirmed Bab al-Hawa -- the only aid crossing -- is currently 100% inactive.
@sams_usa @SyriaCivilDefe @WHO To my knowledge, every single hospital in NW #Syria is now over capacity.
Evacuation of critical patients to #Turkey was ended overnight.
The White Helmets are running out of diesel to operate heavy equipment.
IDP camps taking in a mass of newly homeless, displaced people.
@sams_usa @SyriaCivilDefe @WHO When #Russia periodically threatens to end cross-border aid access into NW #Syria, the UN & NGOs warn of an "unimaginable humanitarian catastrophe."
Well, now we have no cross-border aid access AND a catastrophic earthquake, mass destruction & 1,000s of casualties IN WINTER.
@sams_usa @SyriaCivilDefe @WHO A major aftershock just hit southern #Turkey & NW #Syria -- described by locals as equivalent in severity to the first two earthquakes.
It's dark now, very cold & raining.
@sams_usa @SyriaCivilDefe @WHO I don't think we've come anywhere close to hearing the scale of the tragedy in NW #Syria.
Rescue personnel say 733 dead -- but in countless towns, locals are reporting 100s of bodies stuck under rubble.
In Jindires alone, locals say 600-800 are buried (via @SchoenbornTrent).
@sams_usa @SyriaCivilDefe @WHO @SchoenbornTrent As if to make matters worse, pro-#Assad forces appear to have just shelled the opposition-held town of Marea in northern #Aleppo.
The town was hit hard by the earthquake & people are still being rescued.
This child’s entire family were killed in the earthquake — and by some miracle, she survived, but left an orphan.
Born into a 12yr-old war & confronted with the ugly reality this world can represent.
No more words.
Imagine living through 12yrs of horrendous, brutal conflict — like #Ukraine every year, 12 times, with chemical weapons too — then as things calm just slightly, you get hit by a catastrophic earthquake that flattens the little that survived the last decade.
That’s NW #Syria.
Remarkable footage, as 3 young children & their father are rescued from the rubble of their home in NW #Syria.
Absolute heroes, @SyriaCivilDefe.
This baby girl was born under the rubble of her home in #Afrin in NW #Syria — rescuers discovered her this afternoon, still attached by her umbilical cord to her mother, who had tragically died.
I mean, there are no words.
So, #UAE, #Algeria, #Tunisia, #Egypt, #Jordan & #Saudi have all pledged aid to #Syria.
To my knowledge, it'll all be delivered to #Damascus.
That means nothing will get to the northwest, where 4.5 million people are completely alone & cut-off.
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