The 7.8 magnitude earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria in February serves as a reminder of the unpredictable and devastating power of natural disasters and highlights the importance of preparedness and effective response mechanisms. 

During a press briefing on Tuesday, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) stated that the damage caused by the recent earthquake in Turkey is expected to surpass $100 billion. 

According to the UNDP Turkey Resident Representative, Luisa Vinton, the provisional damage figure only covers Turkey and will be used as a basis for a donor conference on March 16 in Brussels, Belgium, to mobilize funds for earthquake victims. The World Bank had earlier estimated the damage in Turkey to be around $34.2 billion.

Vinton described the situation in Hatay province, which was the worst-hit, as “apocalyptic,” with hundreds of thousands of homes destroyed. 

The UNDP has emphasized that the needs of the affected communities are vast, but the resources available are limited.