Earthquake, little Raghad Ismail, 18 months old, survived, lost her entire family

Around her, only rubble, horror and death. But the little one Raghad Ismailan 18-month-old girl, managed to save herself from the earthquake: she was pulled alive from the ruins of her former home in the Syrian city of Azaz, near the Turkish border.

Now the girl is with her uncle, Abu Hussam, who has wrapped her in a warm blanket to protect her from the winter cold, and who will probably have to take care of her from now on: the mother, pregnant, the little sister of five years old and the little brother of four are all dead under the rubble. The father survived, but it appears that he has a broken back and is doomed to be paralysed.

The family had been displaced from the city of Morek during the war in Syria. So small, Raghad Ismail has lost all the loved ones dear to her, and she will face an excruciating load of pain.

Thousands of children are at risk: the first earthquake measuring 7.7 has hit shortly after 4 am local time, when the babies were sleeping in their homes, which have been destroyed, exposing the children to the elements at a time of year when temperatures regularly dip below freezing. Heavy snowstorms have also hit parts of Syria and Turkey recently.

“The images we are seeing from Syria and Turkey are heartbreaking,” said the executive director of theUnicef Catherine Russell. “The fact that the initial shock occurred so early in the morning, when many children were fast asleep, made the quake even more dangerous. Our hearts and thoughts are with the children and families affected, especially those who have lost loved ones or been injured. Our immediate priority is to ensure that affected children and families receive the support they desperately need».

Children in Syria are facing one of the most complex humanitarian situations in the world. The worsening economic crisis, a decade of conflict, mass displacement and devastated public infrastructure have left two-thirds of the population without assistance. Food insecurity, dependence on unreliable water sources, the high levels of early school leaving are very serious. Waterborne diseases pose another deadly threat to affected children and families.

Here is the link for donations: https://donazioni.unicef.it/landing-emergenze/educazione-terremoto-siria-turchia#/home

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