Almost 70% of the Syrian population was already in need of humanitarian aid before the earthquake

The United Nations (UN) said that almost 70% of Syria’s population needed humanitarian assistance before the earthquake, a need that was exacerbated by the tragedy.

In a joint statement this Tuesday (7), the United Nations Resident Coordinator and Interim Humanitarian Coordinator for Syria, together with the Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Crisis in Syria, spoke about the impact of the earthquake on the country.

“This tragedy will have a devastating impact on many vulnerable families who struggle daily to support their loved ones,” they said.

The statement outlined the impact of Syria’s 12-year war, describing the country as “struggling with economic collapse and severe shortages of water, electricity and fuel”.

The two coordinators launched an appeal to all donor partners to “provide the necessary assistance to alleviate the suffering”.

The UN and humanitarian partners say they are currently focusing on immediate needs, including food, shelter, non-food items and medicine.

In Syria, at least 1,832 people died and another 3,849 were injured as a result of a devastating earthquake that hit the country on Monday (5).