Turkey Earthquake | Press Kit

Samaritan’s Purse Deploys Emergency Field Hospital and Critical Aid to Turkey

Sydney NSW, 8.2.23 – Samaritan’s Purse is responding to the deadly 7.8 magnitude earthquake that devastated Turkey and Syria on February 6^th. Hours later these countries were rocked by another 7.5-magnitude earthquake—killing more than 7100 people and injuring thousands more. Samaritan’s Purse immediately mobilised disaster response specialists and began to position relief supplies for rapid deployment.

UPDATE 13.2.2023—Today, international Christian relief organisation Samaritan’s Purse accepted its first patients at the Emergency Field Hospital in Antakya, Turkey. Back-to-back earthquakes rocked the region last week, killing more than 36,000 people and leaving tens of thousands in desperate need of medical care. The Emergency Field Hospital was airlifted on Friday, along with critically needed supplies, such as hygiene kits, solar lights and shelter tarp to aid families in the hardest-hit areas.

The field hospital—equipped with 52 patient beds, a pharmacy and 2 operating rooms—is located in the parking lot of a 1,100-bed hospital, which is no longer functional due to the earthquake. Samaritan’s Purse doctors and nurses treated dozens of patients in the first hours of operation.

 “Our Emergency Field Hospital is now open, and our medical team has already treated earthquake injuries like broken bones, wounds and infections, said Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan’s Purse. “People are suffering, and we are there to meet their physical needs in Jesus’ Name. Please pray for everyone affected and for our Disaster Assistance Response Team as they meet these emergency needs.”