Catastrophic 7.8 Magnitude Earthquake in Turkey and Syria Claims More Than 3,400 Lives and Leaves Thousands of People Injured

N. CHARLESTON, S.C., Feb. 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Water Mission, a Christian engineering nonprofit, is responding to an earthquake that occurred early Monday morning in Turkey that has devastated the region. Water Mission is deploying a Disaster Assistance Response Team to Turkey to evaluate emergency safe water, sanitation, and hygiene needs in the region. According to reports, the magnitude 7.8 earthquake and subsequent aftershocks have destroyed homes, buildings, and roads, leaving people trapped under the rubble. The earthquakes have killed more than 3,400 people and injured thousands more. The death toll continues to rise.

“This is a region home to millions of people and there is the expectation that there will be thousands of internally displaced people seeking water, food, and shelter,” said Water Mission CEO and President George C. Greene IV, PE. “In any crisis, the need for emergency safe water access is critical for survival and helping to prevent the spread of waterborne diseases.”

Sphere Standards stipulate the minimum volume of water required for drinking and domestic hygiene per household in a disaster is 7.5 liters (1.98 gallons) per person per day. Water Mission is actively working to coordinate efforts with local government authorities and other aid organizations to exceed these disaster relief standards.

Water Mission has more than 20 years of experience responding to natural disasters and humanitarian crises with immediate and long-term safe water solutions. The organization has responded to disasters such as Hurricane Fiona in Puerto Rico, flooding in Pakistan, and an ongoing response in Ukraine in the last year. Water Mission’s global operations have served more than 7 million people since 2001.

Click here to learn more about our disaster response following the catastrophic earthquakes.

About Water Mission
Water Mission is a Christian engineering nonprofit that builds sustainable safe water solutions for people in developing countries, refugee camps, and disaster areas. Since 2001, Water Mission has served more than 7 million people in 57 countries, sharing safe water and the message of God’s love. Water Mission’s global headquarters is in North Charleston, SC, and the organization has more than 400 staff members based in Africa; Asia; North, South, and Central America; and the Caribbean. Charity Navigator has awarded Water Mission its top four-star rating 15 years in a row, a distinction shared by less than 1% of the charities rated by the organization. To learn more, visit watermission.org, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, or Twitter.

CONTACT: Water Mission Contact: Gregg Dinino  Public Relations Director Water Mission                      M. +1.843.805.2097   gdinino@watermission.org