UNITED NATIONS (HRNW) – More than six million boys and girls in Turkiye and Syria are still struggling to cope 100 days after the deadly earthquakes that hit both countries, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported on Thursday.
In total, 2.5 million children in Türkiye, and another 3.7 million in neighbouring Syria, need continued humanitarian assistance, the UN agency said, appealing for greater support for affected families.
The earthquakes which struck on February 6, followed by thousands of aftershocks, have pushed families to the brink and left children homeless and without access to water, education, medical care, and other essential services.
“In the aftermath of the earthquakes, children in both countries have experienced unimaginable loss and grief,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell, who visited both countries just weeks after the double disaster.
“The earthquakes struck areas where many families were already incredibly vulnerable. Children have lost family and loved ones, and seen their homes, schools and communities devastated and their entire lives turned upside down,” she added.