A senior United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) official, Louisa Vinton, has revealed that the destruction caused by a catastrophic earthquake in Turkey earlier this year will exceed $100 billion. Speaking at a press briefing from Gaziantep, Vinton stated that the preliminary damage figure only covers Turkey, and is being used as the basis for a donor conference that will take place in Brussels, Belgium, on March 16th.
The UNDP official’s announcement highlights the scale of the destruction caused by the earthquake, which took place on February 6th and killed over 52,000 people in Turkey and Syria. Vinton noted that the damage estimate put forward by the Turkish government and supported by international partners is expected to exceed $100 billion. This amount is significantly higher than the World Bank’s previous estimate of $34.2 billion.
Apocalyptic scenes in Hatay province
According to Vinton, the damage inflicted by the earthquake is immense, with hundreds of thousands of homes being destroyed. In Turkey’s worst-hit Hatay province, scenes were described as “apocalyptic.” Vinton stressed that the needs of those affected by the disaster are vast, but resources are scarce.
The UNDP official’s comments come ahead of a donor conference that aims to raise funds for earthquake victims. The conference will be hosted by the European Union and Turkey, and will bring together representatives from over 50 countries and international organizations. The objective of the conference is to generate financial support for the recovery and reconstruction efforts that will be required in the aftermath of the disaster.
The UNDP has been working closely with the Turkish government and international partners to support the relief efforts since the earthquake struck. In her remarks, Vinton emphasized the importance of continued collaboration and support to help those affected by the disaster. She called on the international community to step up its efforts to provide the necessary resources to support the recovery and rebuilding process.
Global solidarity needed to aid Turkey’s recovery
The earthquake in Turkey is one of the deadliest disasters in recent history, and the scale of the damage is staggering. The Turkish government has pledged to rebuild the affected areas, but the enormity of the task ahead requires significant resources and support. The upcoming donor conference will provide an opportunity for the international community to demonstrate solidarity with Turkey and provide the necessary financial assistance to support the recovery and rebuilding process.
In conclusion, the earthquake that struck Turkey earlier this year has caused damage that exceeds $100 billion, according to the UNDP. With hundreds of thousands of homes destroyed, the needs of those affected by the disaster are vast. The upcoming donor conference will provide an opportunity for the international community to come together and provide the necessary resources to support Turkey’s recovery and rebuilding efforts.
