News in Brief 6 February 2024
- Gaza: War crimes fears over Israeli ground invasion of Rafah
- Thousands still struggling one year on from Syria-Turkïye earthquakes
- Vaccine push underway in southern Africa amid unprecedented cholera spike
The ancient city of Antakya, in Türkiye’s southeastern province of Hatay, was once a hub of history, culture and diversity. Today, it bears the scars of a series of catastrophic earthquakes that struck in February and an emergence of scattered signs of life.
Western Afghanistan has been hit by a series of “devastating” earthquakes in the last 10 days that have displaced thousands and created a humanitarian crisis in the already-vulnerable region.
That’s according to Philip Kropf, Head of Communications for the World Food Programme (WFP) in Afghanistan.
“Dozens of villages have been damaged, some of them completely flattened,” said Mr. Kropf.
In an interview with UN News’ Cristina Silveiro, he discussed what he’d seen on the ground and outlined the UN’s urgent interagency response.
Aftershocks continue to be felt from the deadly earthquake that pummeled parts of western Afghanistan on Saturday, a senior official with the World Health Organization (WHO) reported on Monday.
Roughly 1,300 people were killed in the disaster, which struck just west of the city of Herat, affecting eight villages. Those injured or otherwise impacted are estimated to be in the tens of thousands.
Dr. Alaa Abouzeid, WHO Health Emergency Team Lead in Afghanistan, said some people who were treated for mild injuries are now living in tents because they have nowhere else to go.
The death toll from the major earthquake that pummelled western Afghanistan soared to more than 1,000 overnight as rescue operations continued to fan out over affected villages, UN agencies said on Sunday.
A major earthquake struck Herat, Afghanistan early Saturday killing at least 100 people and triggering a spate of rescue and assessment missions by UN agencies, partners, and the de facto authorities.
Nathalie Fustier, UN Resident Coordinator in Morocco, says the UN is ready to assist the Government in any way needed as the huge search and rescue effort continues following Friday night's deadly earthquake. Ms. Fustier spoke to UN News's Reem Abaza from the capital, Rabat.
The UN chief expressed his profound sadness over the deadly earthquake that struck central Morocco late on Friday night which latest media reports say has killed over 2,000 people, and left well over 1,000 seriously injured. Mr. Guterres declared his solidarity with the Government and people of the country.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has carried out a month-long field mission to areas of northwest Syria devastated by the February earthquakes there, and in Türkiye, helping stem the risk of further disease outbreaks or full-blown epidemics.
Syrians whose lives have been upended by a 12-year civil war and a catastrophic earthquake are looking to return home and rebuild their lives.