On 6 February 2023, a series of large earthquakes hit southern Türkiye and northern Syria, followed by hundreds of aftershocks. Thousands of lives were lost in the initial earthquakes and thousands more are at risk given the destruction of infrastructure and freezing temperatures in the affected areas.

Efforts in the immediate aftermath of the earthquakes and the following days are focused on search and rescue, finding survivors among the rubble of collapsed buildings. Other urgent needs are providing medical care for people with physical injuries and ensuring food, drinking water and shelter for all those who have lost their homes. Ensuring continuous access to basic health services is also critical.

WHO is supporting the response in both Türkiye and the Syrian Arab Republic in a number of ways:

• dispatch of life-saving medicines and other medical supplies;
• the activation of its Emergency Medical Teams Network to provide essential health services and supplies to care for those in need;
• liaison with disease surveillance and rapid response teams to ensure ongoing surveillance and detection of water-borne, infectious and respiratory diseases, as well as preparedness for any outbreak; and
• support for the mental health and psychosocial response.

Staff already working in Türkiye and Syria are providing full support to local authorities of the two countries. Response efforts and deployments from WHO regional offices and headquarters are ongoing.