UN starts $397M appeal for Syria after earthquake

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres launched on Tuesday a $397 million humanitarian appeal for the people of Syria following the devastating earthquake that has killed almost 6,000 people, according to current estimates. Guterres said the appeal will cover a period of 3 months and that the UN is finalizing a similar humanitarian drive for Turkey.

“We all know that lifesaving aid has not been getting in at the speed and scale needed. The scale of this disaster is one the worst in recent memory. One week after the devastating earthquakes, millions of people across the region are struggling for survival, homeless and in freezing temperatures. We are doing all we can to change this. But much more is needed,” Guterres said. According to estimates by the World Bank, the reconstruction effort in Turkey and Syria will cost “billions of dollars.”