Earthquake Response

Since the onset of the February 2023 earthquakes, IOM has been involved in response efforts in Türkiye and Northwest Syria (NWS) and is currently supporting long-term recovery of affected communities. In the subsequent six months, IOM dispatched over 2.5 million shelter and non-food items, including tents, reinforced housing units, mattresses and blankets. IOM was among the first humanitarian actors to deliver lifesaving humanitarian aid to NWS, sending close to 700 trucks as of August 2023.

In Türkiye, IOM is co-leading the Temporary Settlement Support (TSS) Sector within the Inter-Sector Coordination Group (ISCG), working in close coordination with national partners. As part of TSS, IOM supports site management and maintenance, as well as referral of affected people to receive basic services.

IOM works closely with authorities to address shelter needs, improve access to healthcare services, and enhance water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). Recognizing the protection needs of individuals displaced, IOM continues to offer mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) and translation services. Overall, assistance is informed by IOM’s data collection and analysis activities, through its Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM).

As part of its comprehensive recovery and reconstruction strategy, IOM is supporting early recovery and livelihoods. This includes providing cash and in-kind grants to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and promoting effective labour management aimed at re-boosting the economy in key sectors through upskilling and labour skill matching for Turkish and Syrians under temporary protection.

In Northwest Syria, IOM Türkiye utilized its supply chain and logistics capacity to facilitate cross-border delivery of life-saving assistance. In addition to regular distribution of non-food items, IOM dispatched over 11.7 million relief items, including medical units, through in-kind donations from various donors, reaching more than 1 million affected individuals.

To address heightened needs, IOM extended its food security and WASH interventions to cater to basic necessities. Notably, IOM’s shelter interventions have improved living conditions for thousands of vulnerable households by replacing tents with prefabricated dignified shelter units. Furthermore, IOM and partners expanded support to mobile clinics and hospitals to meet the surging demand for medical services. IOM continued the crucial provision of protection services and oversaw management, including implementation of care and maintenance activities, of 56 informal sites and five reception centres temporarily accommodating displaced individuals. Early recovery and livelihoods support continues to be a priority. IOM provided short-term income-generating opportunities through emergency employment linked to critical rehabilitation of civilian infrastructure, as well as assisted MSMEs to enhance market-based livelihoods through business development support, including training and grants.

To ensure smooth operations, IOM works with a network of implementing partners on the ground, participates in joint UN missions to NWS or conducts IOM-specific missions to project sites.

For more on IOM’s cross-border operations to NWS, click here.