“Nobody dares to go home.” Four days after the deadly earthquakes in Turkey and Syria

United Nations experts say the first 72 hours after an earthquake are crucial for survivors, and, according to Turkish government reports, over 100,000 search and rescue workers have been deployed in the region since Monday.

Crucially, the United Nations reported Thursday morning that the first cross-border relief convoy left from Turkey to Syria, where millions of people were already struggling.

“Northwest Syria, where more than 60 percent of people are internally displaced, was already facing much devastation amid an ongoing cholera outbreak that limited the population’s access to clean water,” CARE’s Middle East and North Africa Regional Director Nirvana Shawky said to TIME magazine.

“These are related to how people ran out of their homes and could not actually pack properly. There is also immense need in regards to shelters for people to just seek cover. And of course, the winter storm has not been helpful in this regard.”

Despite the progress, freezing temperatures and blocked roads continue to complicate relief efforts in both countries.

As the Turkish parliament approved a three-month state of emergency for 10 of the country’s 81 provinces on Thursday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, “We can call it the disaster of the century.”

In Araban’s temporary shelter, the situation remains urgent.

“Since yesterday, the number of people here in the collective shelter has doubled,” Araban said. “Many can no longer sleep in their cars. It was okay for one night, but no more.”

“The need here is very great. There are six toilets for several hundred people. Many also just have to go out into the garden, and most then only go at night. Or you have to wait an hour or more in front of the toilet.”

“Yesterday there was no water, even here in the collective shelter.”

“The hygiene situation is really bad,” Araban went on. “There are no windows and there are a lot of people here. You often have to go outside to get some fresh air, and then you go back to your place.”

“There are food distributions, then soup is distributed, for example. Blankets have also been distributed. But it is not enough for everyone.”

Despite the difficulties, Araban considers himself relatively fortunate.

“I don’t know how people who don’t have any money at all and have no way to look for food in the city are surviving at the moment,” he said.

“Fortunately, my family is large. Up to three people stay at our place, and up to three others look for food or for stores that are open, which take a really long time.

“One team goes out to find items, and one team stays with the items we have here and wait for food distributions.”

“The term hunter-gatherer? It is very close to that.”

Meanwhile, there are thousands of people still vulnerable to collapsing buildings, scarce food, and freezing temperatures. Many are still sleeping outdoors, or in their cars.

CARE Turkey and its partners are prioritizing the delivery essentials like tents, mattresses, blankets, clean drinking water, baby food, and thermal clothing to people in need. CARE is also preparing for potential influxes of internally displaced persons across northern Syria to areas where CARE and its partners operate.

The freezing temperatures, blocked roads, and downed communication infrastructure will make any travel to a safer environment difficult.

“My family and I are trying to leave,” Araban said. “The train stations and airports are open again, but you have to wait because you can’t book anything on the Internet right now. It’s hard to get to the train station. If there are even any cabs left at all, we’ll probably have to spend the night there and wait. But I have to get back to Germany somehow.”