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February 12, 2025

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sy    Syria   

Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon to the southwest, the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest. Wikipedia

Capital: Damascus

President: Bashar al-Assad

Population: 16.91 million (2018) World Bank

Currency: Syrian pound

Continent: Asia

Official language: Arabic

Country Profile
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News - Aid Agency Ref:
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NEWS REPORT
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HEALTH

On February 6, 2023, a series of earthquakes hit Türkiye and Syria causing significant physical damages to properties and infrastructure in the affected areas. This report focuses on the direct physical damages caused by the earthquake in Syria, estimated to be worth $5.1 billion. The report provides a preliminary assessment of the damages and their spatial distribution using the Global Rapid Post-Disaster Damage Estimation (GRADE) approach, which combines earthquake damage modelling, secondary hazard modelling with flooding, and an assessment of capital stock values of different assets and sectors.

Extent of Damage The GRADE report finds that the earthquake impacted 4 governorates in Syria, where around 10 million people reside. Aleppo, with a population of 4.2 million, was the most severely hit governorate, accounting for 45% of the estimated damages ($2.3 billion). Idlib and Lattakia were also severely affected, with damages estimated at $1.9 billion and $549 million, respectively. A subsequent earthquake on February 20 caused additional damage to the border regions in Lattakia, Idlib, Hama, and Aleppo, with Idlib and Lattakia worst affected. Continued aftershocks are also likely to add to these damage estimates over time.

Damages by Sector Direct damages to residential buildings accounted for nearly half of the total damages (48.5% of the median value or $2.5 billion), while damages in non-residential buildings, including health facilities, schools, government buildings, and private sector buildings, accounted for one-third of the total impact (33.5% or $9.7 billion). Infrastructure damages accounted for 18% of total damages ($0.9 billion), including transport, critical power and water infrastructure, and Information & Communications Technology.

The damage estimates to the residential and non-residential sector included direct damages to all buildings and structures, including cultural heritage sites in Aleppo, Margat, and Kobani. However, cultural heritage sites are severely underestimated as values associated with the loss of cultural heritage are complex and challenging to quantify.

Conclusion The earthquakes that hit Syria in February 2023 caused an estimated $5.1 billion in direct physical damages, impacting 4 governorates and around 10 million people. The damages are significant, considering that the current value of the damaged and destroyed capital stock is estimated at about 10% of GDP. The World Bank has also started a Syria Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA) that will provide a more detailed sector by sector assessment and include estimates of economic losses and recovery needs. The report calls for urgent action to address the losses and suffering endured by the people of Syria, who have already been through years of conflict and hardship. The World Bank remains committed to supporting client countries to assess exposure to hazards and address disaster risks.

Middle East Department“These losses compound years of destruction, suffering and hardship the people of Syria have been enduring over the past years. The disaster will cause a decline in economic activity that will further weigh on Syria’s growth prospects.”

The World Bank has also started a Syria Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA) that will provide a more detailed sector by sector assessment and include estimates of economic losses and recovery needs.

The World Bank also released on February 27 an assessment of the physical damages caused by the earthquakes in Türkiye using the GRADE methodology.

This GRADE report for Syria was conducted and financially supported by the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR)

For more information on the World Bank Analytical Work on Syria: https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/syria

The World Bank and Disaster Risk Management

Disasters hurt the poor and vulnerable the most. Over the past decade, the World Bank has emerged as the global leader in disaster risk management, supporting client countries to assess exposure to hazards and address disaster risks. The Global Rapid Post-Disaster Damage Estimation (GRADE) approach can provide an initial rapid estimation of the physical post-disaster damage incurred by key sectors within two weeks of the disaster.

Contacts

Washington
Ashraf Al-Saeed
aalsaeed@worldbank.org

Beirut
Zeina El Khalil
zelkhalil@worldbank.org

OCHA coordinates the global emergency response to save lives and protect people in humanitarian crises.

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