In the hours and days after an earthquake, communities face devastating loss, displacement and profound disruption of daily life. In the weeks and months that follow, new health risks can quickly emerge that compound the immediate impacts. These continue to evolve over time.
Disrupted water and sanitation, unsafe shelter, fires, landslides and floods, interruptions to health services and a higher risk of communicable diseases in crowded temporary settlements, are just some of the threats that can further endanger affected populations. Preparedness for earthquakes, therefore, must look beyond the immediate event; it must also help people access reliable services and information and take practical steps to protect their health.
As part of the response to the devastating earthquakes in Türkiye’s Kahramanmaraş and Hatay provinces in 2023, WHO worked closely with the Ministry of Health of Türkiye and community health workers to rapidly develop and share important community-informed public health information and interventions. Learnings will be shared at the WHO Ministerial Conference on advancing health security through earthquake emergency management, taking place in Istanbul, Türkiye in July 2026.
Health messaging for emerging risks
To understand what communities were experiencing, asking and worrying about, WHO/Europe used social listening: systematically collecting and analysing community feedback and questions, concerns and rumours circulating online. In a crisis, timely advice can be life-saving – but only if it is clear, relevant and actionable for people living through disruption.
Social listening helped responders to understand where information gaps were emerging, what was being misunderstood and how false or misleading information risked spreading, and to triangulate these insights with assessments of emerging risks.
The results guided WHO and the Ministry of Health in developing, testing and communicating effective health messages on around 30 priority health topics, including cold and hypothermia, safe water use, food hygiene, vaccination (including rabies and tetanus) and mental health.
Even technically correct advice can fail if it does not match people’s reality, language and ability to act. A training session for 72 health workers helped frontline health and social care staff gain skills necessary to communicate clearly, empathetically and effectively during emergencies. They could then train other health-care workers, thereby strengthening engagement at scale.
“Not only will the knowledge and expertise acquired by our health-care professionals result in more effective and compassionate care, but it will also significantly contribute to bolstering the overall community’s ability to recover from the earthquakes,” noted health worker, Serkan Karavus.
Breastfeeding in emergencies
Pre-positioning health information and advice, and engaging communities in preparedness efforts ahead of crises, is a critical capacity under the International Health Regulations (2005), helping prevent localized events from escalating into wider public health emergencies.
Risk communication and community engagement and infodemic management (RCCE-IM), recognizes that communities are not passive recipients of aid or information. They are first responders in their own right, drawing on local knowledge and assets, social networks and coping strategies.
In the aftermath of the earthquakes, WHO and the Ministry of Health worked with community workers and partners to develop breastfeeding advice that reflected women’s needs and concerns. Breast milk provides essential nutrients and antibodies that help protect infants from infection – protection that is even more vital when living conditions are crowded and hygiene is hard to maintain. Displacement can impact breastfeeding: a lack of privacy, stress, limited sanitation and discomfort can affect women’s confidence and well-being. However, the right information and support from skilled helpers can be a game changer – helping women continue breastfeeding during emergencies, and even re-lactate if they have stopped.
Information shared too early could be overlooked amid stress and survival priorities, while information shared too late could increase health risks for mothers and infants. When delivered at the right moment, information and advice becomes a public health intervention in itself – helping mothers make informed decisions, reduce risks and protect their children when it matters most.
Protecting communities long-term
“What stood out most in the Türkiye response was the human dimension. In the middle of loss and uncertainty, communities needed more than information alone – they needed trusted people, empathy and practical support that reflected their new realities. RCCE-IM helped create that connection by listening first and delivering trusted advice when and where it mattered most,” concludes Cristiana Salvi, WHO/Europe.
The experience also reinforced an important preparedness lesson: the impact of an earthquake does not end with the shaking, and planning for the health risks and hardships that follow is essential to protecting communities over the long term.
WHO/Europe captures this approach in the publication “Risk communication, community engagement and infodemic management at the core of health security in humanitarian emergencies: operational tool designed from experiences in the WHO European Region”. It offers practical guidance to help responders coordinate, listen and act, communicate effectively and work with communities to anticipate emerging risks. As countries strengthen readiness for future earthquakes and other hazards, community resilience – supported by clear information and genuine engagement – remains one of the most powerful protections.