Already displaced by war, Syrians search earthquake rubble for loved ones

Residents of northwest Syria, most of whom found refuge in the area after fleeing the bombing in their hometowns during the war, found themselves facing a new catastrophe following Monday's magnitude 7.8 earthquake.
The village of Bibsna, located on the Syrian-Turkish border, was almost completely destroyed by the earthquake, and rescue teams are trying to recover the victims and treat the wounded, Feb. 6, 2023.
The village of Bibsna, located on the Syrian-Turkish border, was almost completely destroyed by the earthquake, and rescue teams are trying to recover the victims and treat the wounded, Feb. 6, 2023. - Ahmad Fallaha/Al-Monitor
Ahmad Fallaha headshot
Ahmad Fallaha

IDLIB — Northwestern Syria is a disaster area after being struck at dawn on Monday by one of the strongest earthquakes to hit the region in decades, measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale. The earthquake was concentrated in the areas of southern Turkey and northern Syria, causing a humanitarian catastrophe that left thousands of dead and wounded.

Thousands of homes were destroyed and many residents were displaced.

Access the Middle East news and analysis you can trust

Join our community of Middle East readers to experience all of Al-Monitor, including 24/7 news, analyses, memos, reports and newsletters.

Subscribe

Only $100 per year.

Videos

See more