Earthquake Emergency Relief/Search and Rescue

Earlier this month, Peace Winds distributed a total of 1,500 kits containing food and essential supplies to vulnerable families living in two small villages in Hatay Province in southern Türkiye, an area that was hit particularly hard by the recent disaster. May 6 marked three months since the devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck southeastern Türkiye, and since then, Peace Winds has been active supporting survivors in Hatay Province.

Now, more than three months after the earthquake, most of the nearly 8,000 people in Tansma Village and 4,500 people in Madenboyu Village, Hatay Province are still living in tents and temporary housing. This includes Syrian refugees who fled to Türkiye before the earthquake and those who migrated here to seek shelter afterward. Because daily essentials in these camps are in short supply, Peace Winds has been working with the local leaders of these villages to distribute kits of food and everyday essentials to families in need.

In Türkiye and Syria, more than 50,000 people have died as a result of the quake. According to OCHA (the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs), 3 million people remain homeless with 1.6 million earthquake survivors living in temporary settlements.

Immediately following the disaster, members of ARROWS, Peace Winds’ airborne search-and-rescue team, joined local volunteers and aid workers to search for survivors and rescue them from the rubble. Beginning the day after the earthquake, another team of Peace Winds staff began distributing emergency supplies like food, water, and personal hygiene items to shelters throughout the region.

Peace Winds’ doctors have provided emergency open-air medical care to survivors in Tansma Village as many of the local doctors were engaged in the emergency response across the region. Initially, Peace Winds operated a temporary medical clinic in Gaziantep and has continued to provide medical care to survivors staying in temporary shelters, homes, and established clinics. In March, operation of Peace Winds’ temporary clinic was handed over to local doctors.

Peace Winds knows that the road to recovery for the people of Türkiye and Syria is long, and it will take a lot of time and support before survivors will be able to return to their “normal” lives. Our teams will continue to deliver donations of food and daily necessities to families like the ones living in Tansma and Madenboyu Villages, and we will prioritize vulnerable survivors such as the elderly and disabled. We thank you for your continued support.