“The passage from Turkey to Syria was opened first for the coffins of those who died in the earthquake, and then for humanitarian aid caravans, a week after the collapse of Enceladus.” Mister. Apostolos Veyzisexecutive director of the organization INTERSOS Hellasoperating in war-torn Syria since 2019, speaks to the international community’s outrageously slow reflexes as time ticks down to save human lives from the rubble.

INTERSOS operates in the provinces of Hama and Idlib. “From the first moment, we reorganized our staff of 30 people (doctors, nurses, psychologists, technicians, etc.) into four disaster response teams, from the second day we were asked to contribute to the hospital.” Now they operate in Syria. UN echelons, Doctors Without Borders, Italian Civil Protection and echelons from Arab countries. “It is estimated that 9 million people’s homes were damaged by the quake and 6.4 million people were left homeless by the quake.” The casualties are estimated at about 6,000 people.

“The country does not have its own search and rescue teams,” he clarifies, “neither technical means, nor trained rescuers.” Only separate groups like “white helmets” operate. Living conditions were already extremely difficult due to the 12-year war – before the earthquake, it was estimated that 15.3 million people were in need of humanitarian assistance. “It is significant that in January 2023, 77% of residents did not have sufficient income to cover their basic needs, 60% had electricity from 3 to 8 hours a day, 16% of incomplete households, which, due to the war, corresponds to 1/3 of total, did not have the means to meet their basic needs.” The measurement actually comes from the part of the country controlled by the Assad government, and theoretically conditions are slightly better. “Even there, the data continued to deteriorate: in 2022, the proportion of incomplete households at risk was 6%.

Movements are not possible

The strike on Enceladus marks a “second war” for the suffering people of Syria. “Transport is not possible because the road network is destroyed and there is no more gasoline, health care structures are not working due to a lack of staff and medical equipment,” he points out. “The World Health Organization estimates that the food available in the country will last one week.” The earthquake led to an increase in prices for affordable goods within the country. INTERSO members conducted the first fact-finding mission to assess the impact of the earthquake on people’s lives – as everyone in the affected areas needs personal hygiene items, 87% do not have access to hospital care, 71% to food and medicine, while there is no longer an opportunity electricity even for an hour. “The water supply and sanitation system is destroyed, we are worried about a new cholera epidemic, as 56% of the population lives in areas without water and sanitation,” emphasizes Mr. Veyzis. Currently, the organization’s doctors are facing many infections of the urinary tract and respiratory tract, post-traumatic stress. “These people will die due to lack of clothing, food, medicine, as the cold is fierce.” The need for psychological support is obligatory, “however, it is difficult to organize consultations when there are not even solid buildings.” The population gathered in the few surviving buildings to protect themselves from the cold and also to support each other. “However, the overcrowding that prevails in these areas makes it difficult to manage daily life.”

At the same time, tens of thousands of Syrians are living as refugees in Turkey, in places affected by the earthquake. “Many are already returning to Syria and others are expected to return as their demonization as responsible for the country’s economic crisis has already begun and this propaganda is expected to continue.” The new catastrophe, however, could not stop the re-emerging armed conflicts within the country.