Swiss Solidarity finances 11 projects in earthquake regions
A man walks on debris in Kahramanmaras, Turkey, on March 24
Keystone / Erdem Sahin
Two months after the devastating earthquake in the border region between Turkey and Syria, Swiss Solidarity has financed 11 projects of Swiss partner organisations providing humanitarian aid on the ground.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA/ts
Italiano
it
La Catena della Solidarietà finanzia 11 progetti nelle regioni terremotate
So far, more than CHF32 million ($35 million) in donations has been collected by the humanitarian arm of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation, SWI swissinfo.ch’s parent company. The aid is mainly focused on access to health care, emergency shelters, food, water and other essentials, Swiss SolidarityExternal link said on Tuesday.
Projects financed include those of Helvetas, the Swiss Red Cross, the Swiss Protestant Reformed Church Relief Agency (Heks), Médecins Sans Frontières, Medair, Save the Children Switzerland, Solidar Suisse and the Terre des hommes Foundation.
Projects are supported in both countries. According to Swiss Solidarity, access to the people affected is a challenge. In Syria in particular, humanitarian aid is confronted with political, administrative and security-related challenges. The country has already been weakened by 12 years of war.
More
More
Swiss rescue team returns from Turkey after earthquake effort
This content was published on
Swiss search and rescue specialists have returned home after helping out in Turkey, which along with Syria was struck by a massive earthquake last week.
So far, emergency aid has been the main focus. In the coming months, Swiss Solidarity also plans to finance larger humanitarian projects such as the reconstruction of important infrastructure like hospitals, schools and sewage treatment plants.
More than 56,000 people were killed by the earthquake and subsequent tremors on February 6, with 50,000 of those in Turkey and the remainder in Syria.
In Turkey alone, more than 173,000 buildings were destroyed in 11 provinces. According to World Bank estimates, the pure property damage in the country amounts to at least $34.2 billion (CHF31.2 billion).
Two decades after tsunami, Swiss tourists flock to Southeast Asia
This content was published on
Twenty years after a catastrophic tsunami in Southeast Asia, the region is again a top destination for Swiss, including at Christmas.
Swiss forests better equipped for storms 25 years after Lothar
This content was published on
Twenty-five years after Hurricane Lothar wreaked havoc in Switzerland, the country’s forests are now better prepared, experts say.
Media: Swiss medical services done abroad are billed at Swiss rates
This content was published on
In Switzerland, some medical services carried out abroad are still billed at Swiss rates, despite costing less, RTS reports.
This content was published on
Sophie Hediger, a member of the Swiss national snowboard cross team, has died in an avalanche in Arosa. She was 26 years old.
This content was published on
Several Swiss films exceeded the 100,000 admissions mark worldwide in 2024 and received widespread praise at international film festivals.
Swiss Alpine resorts covered in white gold for Christmas
This content was published on
Many areas at low altitudes in Switzerland are enjoying a blanket of snow. In the mountains, intense precipitation has delighted skiers.
SWISS makes emergency landing in Austria after smoke in cockpit
This content was published on
Swiss International Airlines (SWISS) made an emergency landing of an Airbus in Graz, Austria on Monday evening after engine problems.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.