The earthquakes and their aftershocks that rocked Türkiye and neighboring Syria in early February had already claimed over 50,000 lives as of February 24. The World Health Organization has since projected the total number of people affected would amount to over 26 million.
The tragedy has dealt a heavy blow to both countries’ economies. Türkiye, an economic powerhouse in the Middle East, will struggle to recover from the aftermath. Syria, a country devastated after more than a decade of civil war and still under U.S. sanctions, is facing even more severe challenges in reconstruction.
The natural disaster won’t have a perceptible impact