As 2022 was drawing to an end, many believed that the string of the increasingly stressful years—marked by the COVID-19 pandemic and its lingering effects, never-ending wars, wildfires, and climate-related disasters—was finally behind us. Yet 2023 turned out to be a year of trials not only for Türkiye but for all peoples of the world. Indeed, 2023 will be remembered as a year when a series of disasters, each one of which would have long-lasting effects, struck one after another. Early in the year, the Türkiye–Syria earthquakes of 6 February, known domestically as the “Disaster of the Century,” shook the conscience of the entire world. These were followed by the Marrakesh–Safi earthquake in Morocco, floods in Libya, and, toward the end of the year, the unspeakable atrocities committed against the Palestinian people during Israel’s latest inhumane war on Occupied Palestine.
Two earthquakes struck two separate districts of Türkiye’s southeastern province of Kahramanmaraş, the first at 4:17 a.m. in Pazarcık with a magnitude of Mw 7.7 and the second at 1:24 p.m. in Elbistan with a magnitude of Mw 7.6. The magnitude and shallow depth of these two earthquakes made them the largest land-based quakes ever recorded. A total of eleven provinces in Türkiye—not to mention several cities in neighboring Syria—experienced rarely seen levels of destruction and loss of life. In total, 50,783 people were reported dead, 115,353 injured, and 37,984 buildings destroyed. Though these numbers are indeed heart wrenching, they could have been significantly worse, as 107,000 people were pulled out from under the rubble of the thousands of collapsed buildings. Government agencies, private organizations, NGOs, and citizens from all walks of life joined hands in the numerous relief efforts organized around the country. Türkiye issued a Level 4 appeal for international assistance, prompting response teams from around the world to arrive in the country and begin life-saving operations.
Some might therefore say that it was providential that ANDA had successfully completed the AFAD Advanced Search and Rescue accreditation exam on 5 February, just one day before the earthquakes. Upon receiving news of the first earthquake the very following morning, ANDA’s Search and Rescue Coordinator instructed our teams to prepare for deployment to the disaster zone and commence rescue operations. Our teams mobilized all of their equipment and manpower and made their way to the disaster zone. Humanitarian aid distribution teams stationed in Syria went to Hatay while search and rescue teams in Adana began working throughout the province to save as many lives as possible.
ANDA’s search and rescue teams took part in rescue operations throughout the provinces of Hatay, Adıyaman, Gaziantep, Adana, Osmaniye, Kahramanmaraş, Malatya, Şanlıurfa, and Diyarbakır from the moment they arrived in the disaster areas. To streamline communication and emergency efforts, an 18-person crisis coordination center was set up at the association’s headquarters, and a logistics support team was assembled with the help of hundreds of ANDA volunteers.
The first seventy-two hours following an earthquake are critical for rescuing survivors, leaving a short window of opportunity for rescue teams to save as many people as possible before they succumb to extended exposure. Accordingly, we ramped up our rescue efforts to maximum capacity during this period, deploying a total of 1,293 search and rescue workers—27 in Adana, 55 in Osmaniye, 124 in Kahramanmaraş, 77 in Malatya, 185 in Diyarbakır, 514 in Hatay, 224 in Gaziantep, 85 in Adıyaman, and 12 in Şanlıurfa.
The sheer magnitude of the affected area and the scale of the destruction required search and rescue teams to work long hours of overtime. During this period, we began aid distribution operations to prevent the situation from further deteriorating. Our crisis coordination center worked with branches stationed throughout the country to load and dispatch trucks carrying a wide range of essential goods—blankets, clothing, tents, non-perishables, and hygiene products—to the disaster zone.
We likewise set up soup kitchens in the affected areas and organized iftar meals during Ramadan. We held events to bring at least some joy to the earthquake survivors and especially to the countless children in the area, many of whom had suffered unimaginable losses, on both religious and national holidays. We established a container city in Hatay to address the burgeoning housing crisis. As schools reopened, we launched a stationery kit campaign to help displaced children return to school with the supplies all they needed free of cost. Then, with the arrival of winter toward the end of the year, we rolled out a campaign to distribute boots, coats, scarves, hats, and gloves in the earthquake-hit provinces so that those who remained in the area had what they needed to stay warm throughout the cold winter months.
While still on the group working tirelessly during the aftermath of these earthquakes, ANDA took part in search and rescue efforts in areas that had suffered flash floods. We were among the first to arrive in the region after the Türkiye–Syria earthquakes and remain committed to easing the hardships experienced by affected communities through our ongoing efforts in the area.
With a strong legacy of humanitarian aid rooted in her history and culture, Türkiye continues to assist both domestically and internationally ever while tending to her own wounds. Türkiye’s stance is crystal clear in this regard; we stand with the oppressed, disadvantaged, and vulnerable people of the world wherever they may be. As a nation, we make no distinction—whether by race, ethnicity, language, religion, or gender—when sending out our humanitarian and rescue teams to even the most remote corners of the globe. Our goal is to deliver much-needed relief to whomever we can reach. In line with this legacy, ANDA took part in search and rescue efforts in Libya following flash floods brought about by Tropical Storm Daniel in October. We dispatched two 15-person teams and provided humanitarian aid to address the urgent needs of the Libyan people, all coordinated through Türkiye’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD).
Another disaster in October that saw ANDA’s involvement was the Mw 6.3 earthquake that struck Afghanistan’s western city of Herat. Having recently endured a series of devastating earthquakes ourselves, we understood the dire plight of those affected and were able to anticipate their needs so as to mount a swift response. To aid those displaced during the disaster, we sent aid items via the 19th Goodness Train organized in coordination with AFAD and TCDD Taşımacılık, the government-owned railway company operating Türkiye’s passenger and freight trains.
Toward the end of the year, Israel intensified its brutal, ongoing assault on the Gaza Strip in Occupied Palestine in response to the indigenous population’s attempt to break out of the open-air concentration camp in which they have been pinned up and under the long-standing blockade imposed by Israel. We sent humanitarian aid packages containing food, hygienic products, and medical supplies via an AFAD-coordinated ship bound for Palestine to alleviate as much as possible the absolutely harrowing humanitarian crisis brought about by Israel’s inhumane actions.
A notable rise in global appeals for aid has been seen in response to the increasing frequency and severity of wars, conflict, disasters, and famines around the world, underscoring the growing importance of both humanitarian and search and rescue organizations. In light of this heightened need, ANDA’s search and rescue teams participated in 236 missions coordinated by AFAD in 2023. Our efforts extended beyond search and rescue operations to include supporting orphanages in Syria and Afghanistan, operating a health clinic in Syria, running soup kitchens, conducting food distributions through sacrificial activities, organizing Ramadan events, providing shelter for displaced individuals, and distributing food, hygiene kits, and winter supplies. We at ANDA shall remain steadfast in our comment to assist those in need and to serve as a vital link in the global chain of goodwill both in Türkiye and around the world.
1 HMB. 2023. https://www.hmb.gov.tr/haberler/2023-kahramanmaras-ve-hatay-depremleri-raporu
2 AFAD. 2023. https://deprem.afad.gov.tr/assets/pdf/Kahramanmara%-C5%9F%20Depremi%20%20Raporu_02.06.2023.pdf