On 15th March, floods swept through the streets of two southeastern Turkish cities already devastated by earthquakes that killed more than 52,000 and left thousands homeless.
The floods caused by torrential rains happened only 5 weeks after the catastrophic earthquakes and the aftershocks. So far, 14 people have died in the floods in Sanliurfa and Adiyaman while several others are missing. Out of the 14, five were Syrian nationals.
The Governor of Sanliurfa, Salih Ayhan shared how he “had never seen flooding like it.”
Among the victims were the earthquake survivors who had been living in container homes since the tragedy. Several survivors who were sheltering in tents were evacuated from a drench campsite. Patients too were evacuated from a hospital.
“When I woke up, our houses were under water,”
Melek Yildirim, Affected Turkish Resident
Just last month, our team members were on the ground in Türkiye distributing crucial aid to earthquake survivors in Kahramanmaras, Hatay and Idlib. A few months back, our team and a few committed volunteers carried out our Winter Emergency Appeal distribution and our CIP at the same Turkish cities.
While there, they met Mdm Nadiya Issa, a single mother in her 30s. She is a Syrian refugee who has been living in Türkiye for seven years, together with her only daughter. At just 14-years-old, her daughter is a Hafizah of the Qur’an and an entrepreneur – she sells her own painting and drawing online. When our team met the mother and daughter, they were waiting to be transferred to a new home for widows complex built and supported by our international partner, Onsur.
Now, their fate lies uncertain.
Our team members met the people who are now undergoing hardships from two natural disasters, while already suffering from the winter season and for some, being a refugee.
With Ramadhan approaching, the people of Türkiye are still reeling from the shock and pain of losing their loved ones, their place of shelter, their lives. They will be struggling to fast without knowing if they will have anything for Iftar.
We urge you to continue giving to help meet the urgent needs of these survivors and give them the strength they need to continue rebuilding their lives. This Ramadhan, we aim to provide those affected in Türkiye and Syria through our Ehsan Ramadhan 2023 projects.
With your help, we are supplying Daily Iftar Meals throughout the holy month as well as crucial Food Aid Packs to those affected by this catastrophe.
