International Rescue Committee Warns of “Secondary Crisis” for Earthquake Victims in Turkey and Syria

On Sunday, the leader of a humanitarian organization helping earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria warned that aid being blocked along the border between the two nations could cause a “secondary crisis” for Syrians already suffering from years of war.

The International Rescue Committee is one of many groups around the world working to help victims of the 7.8-magnitude and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes that hit southeastern Turkey and northern Syria last week. US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield urged the UN Security Council to approve two additional access points to deliver aid to parts of Syria hit by the deadly quake.

“We cannot let them down — we must vote immediately on a resolution to heed the UN’s call for authorization of additional border crossings for the delivery of humanitarian assistance,” Thomas-Greenfield said in a statement. As of Sunday, the death toll from the quakes had risen to over 33,000 — and it is expected to continue to go up as rescuers find more bodies in the destruction.

Rescuers are racing against the clock to get past the damaged infrastructure to dig people out of the rubble. “On the Turkish side of the border, you’ve got a very strong response,” said the leader of the humanitarian organization. “On the Syrian side, it’s much more difficult.”

The organization is appealing to the international community to help in the moment of need. “We need to make sure that the aid is getting through to the people who need it the most,” the leader said. “We need to make sure that the aid is getting through to the people who need it the most.”