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Nearly 70% of Syrian population was in need of humanitarian aid before earthquake

08 February 2023 04:19 (UTC +04:00)

The United Nations says nearly 70% of Syria’s population was in need of humanitarian assistance before the earthquake — an issue that has only been compounded by the tragedy, APA reports citing CNN.

In a joint statement on Tuesday, the United Nations Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator ad interim for Syria and the Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria Crisis said: "This tragedy will have a devastating impact on many vulnerable families who struggle to provide for their loved ones on a daily basis.”

The statement outlined the impact of Syria’s 12-year war, describing a country as “grappling with economic collapse and severe water, electricity, and fuel shortages.” The pair issued an appeal to all donor partners to “provide the assistance necessary to alleviate suffering.”

The UN and humanitarian partners say they are currently focusing on immediate needs, including food, shelter, non-food items and medicine.

In Syria, at least 1,832 people have died and another 3,849 people have been injured as a result of a devastating earthquake that hit Monday.