Note from the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces
On February 6, Turkey and Syria were hit by two earthquakes of magnitude 7,8 and 7,5 on the Richter scale, with the epicentre in the city of Gaziantep, whose metropolitan area has more than 2 million inhabitants. The entire southern region of Turkey has been severely affected, with serious damage in cities such as Diyarbaktr, Adtyaman, Osmaniye, Malatya and Adana.
In Syria, cities such as Aleppo, Latakia and Hama are some of the most affected by the earthquake.
The earthquake has left thousands of people dead and injured, many homeless and has caused the collapse of city infrastructure, creating a particularly critical situation that is being aggravated by the low winter temperatures.
The European Union has responded to the call for international assistance made by the Turkish authorities by activating the European Civil Protection Mechanism to coordinate international assistance among Member States.
Spain, within the coordination framework established by the EU, has mobilised personnel from the Military Emergency Unit (UME) and the Immediate Response Fire Brigade of the Community of Madrid (Ericam), and has sent the field hospital of the START Team (Spanish Technical Team for Aid and Response in Emergencies) of the Spanish Agency for Development Cooperation to help alleviate the terrible consequences of the earthquake.
The Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces has been called to participate in the cooperation working group, convened by the AECID, to enable a rapid and effective response to the emergency situation, together with Autonomous Communities and humanitarian NGOs. At the first meeting, held yesterday, an initial analysis of the humanitarian consequences of the earthquake was made, and the necessary coordination work was proposed, which for the moment consists mainly of interventions by personnel in the field in the field of cooperation.
As always in these types of situations, the FEMP has made itself available and has shown its support for the measures that may be adopted in coordination with the AECID, and its ability to ensure that information reaches the entire territory of our country, through the Local Entities, as well as its involvement in the calls for help to the Local Governments that may be produced. The FEMP will be the direct information channel to the Town Halls, Provincial Councils, Councils and Cabildos of all the measures that may be enabled, to facilitate the materialization of the solidarity of the Local Governments that is always present in this type of catastrophe.
The Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces, representing the Spanish Local Entities, agrees to the following Institutional Declaration:
- We would like to express our solidarity and affection to the Turkish and Syrian people, and to all those affected by the earthquake, and we extend this to the residents of both nationalities in our country.
- We are joining in the initiatives to help the population to alleviate the terrible consequences of the earthquake.
- We are at the disposal of the Spanish Government, with all our resources, to collaborate in any type of humanitarian action, within the framework of the aid mechanism activated by the European Union.
Madrid, February 7, 2023
