Magnitude 7.8 earthquake impacts Turkey and Syria

A magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Southern Turkey along the northwest Syrian border on Feb 6. The earthquake, along with a series of aftershocks and tremors, completely devastated this expansive area. The death toll has surpassed 50,000, with thousands more displaced or injured. Feb 20, a second earthquake hit at a magnitude of 6.3. The second quake occurred in the same region of Southern Turkey.

In addition to the thousands of lives lost, more than 160,000 buildings containing 520,000 apartments have collapsed thus far between the two countries. Though many of these structures were built to withstand smaller earthquakes, the magnitude of the initial quake, and the 1,600 aftershocks which followed, made this the worst earthquake this region has seen in a century.

The initial earthquake occurred near Gaziantep, which has served as a home for thousands of Syrian refugees and aid groups as they work to recover from over a decade of political turbulence in their home country. As this area was already in need of aid before the earthquake occurred, their needs are more dire than ever.

Several groups, such as the Turkish Red Crescent, Doctors Without Borders, Care International, and the Syrian American Medical Society are working to help the victims of this event as they begin to rebuild and recover. For those looking to get involved, check out their websites for donation links.