More than a week after the earthquake in the Syrian-Turkish border area, the situation in Syria’s civil war remains critical. Collective shelters are overcrowded, people are afraid. A helper from Aleppo reported that the aid measures had not yet been coordinated.
Andreas Knapp is secretary general of Caritas for Foreign Aid and traveled to the crisis area on Friday. “The aid in Syria has started, but it is still insufficient,” he said in an interview with APA. Above all, the collective shelters are “crazy overcrowded”, which would leave many people on the street.
No washing facilities
Another problem is that aid is poorly coordinated. “For example, there is almost too much food in the emergency shelter, but only the school toilets in public buildings and schools, where there are no sanitary facilities,” Knapp reports. Earthquake survivors have been unable to wash for days. Eight days ago, about 200,000 people in Aleppo were left homeless by the earthquake. This roughly corresponds to the population of Linz.
As reported, many people in Syria are still waiting for permission to return to their partially destroyed homes. According to their own words, the authorities check dozens of buildings every day for the risk of collapse. “There is a kind of traffic light system. Red means too dangerous, these houses must be demolished,” said the chairman of the Buren in Need Foundation. If the buildings are yellow – for dangerous – they should be structurally examined. When it turns green, people are allowed back into the building.
Every third building destroyed
According to the UN, every third building in Aleppo has been destroyed by the earthquakes. However, many buildings had already been damaged by the war, which has lasted twelve years to date. Aleppo is controlled by ruler Bashar al-Assad and his government troops. A number of Austrian aid organizations are currently working with partners to help the population in Syria. In addition to Caritas, these are Volkshilfe and the Austrian Red Cross. They arrange housing, food, clean water and medical products, among other things.
Estimates put at least 5,900 dead and 5.3 million homeless in Syria. More than 35,418 deaths have already been reported in Turkey.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
