Red Cross draws attention to funding gaps on 1st anniversary of Türkiye quakes

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

GENEVA (AA) - On the first anniversary of the deadly twin earthquakes which shook parts of Türkiye and Syria, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) drew attention to big funding gaps.

"Our appeals for Türkiye and Syria, totaling 500 million CHF (over $573 million) are still significantly underfunded, for Türkiye that gap stands at 65%," Jessie Thomson, the head of Red Cross Türkiye delegation, told a UN briefing in Geneva via video link.

"Now is not the time to scale down," Thomson urged. "We really need to redouble our efforts to support communities to make a significant impact on their lives and to empower people to rebuild their lives. And really to help restart and reinforce those local economies."

"We really must ensure that the passage of time does not diminish our attention or our commitment to these communities," she added.

Reiterating Red Cross's steadfast dedication to making a lasting impact on the lives of those affected, she said: "But we can't do it alone. We need the continued support of the international community to bridge funding gaps and to provide the necessary resources for the ongoing recovery."

"Now is the time for solidarity with the people of Türkiye and Syria as well," she said.

Catastrophic twin earthquakes of magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 shook southern Türkiye and northern Syria on Feb. 6, leveling thousands of buildings and claiming the lives of over 53,500 people.