Words by Natasha Hemraze
A 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Turkey and Syria. Here’s everything you need to know – and the best ways you can help.
This is the strongest earthquake to have hit Turkey since 1939, which killed 30,000 civilians. So far, the quake has affected 23 million people.
The impact of the aftershocks were felt throughout the day in neighbouring countries such as Lebanon and Israel. Turkey’s President, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has declared a three month state of emergency for the 10 provinces that have been hit the hardest.
The death toll between Syria and Turkey has exceeded 11,500 and counting. There is a desperate and ongoing search for survivors buried underneath debris, and the freezing conditions aren’t making it any easier. Amongst the found survivors there was a newborn baby girl whose mother died in labor. Several people have lost friends, children, family members, unknown of their locations and whether they are alive or not. Thousands of buildings have been destroyed and more than 150,000 people have been rendered homeless.
Many are torn between returning to standing buildings for shelter, fearing the danger or sleeping outside in tents. The decade-long civil war in Syria has only made things worse. It has been described as a “crisis within a crisis”. Several routes from Turkey such as the Bab al-Hawa crossing into Syria, used to provide for refugees, have either been closed off or restricted. Syria is facing a compounded humanitarian crisis as it has become complicated to access foreign aid, due to the ongoing civil war. There are also fears that opposition-held areas would refuse or resist aid coming from outside the country.
NATO’s diplomatic relations with Turkey allows it to provide direct aid, and several international countries have also been providing search and rescue specialists, emergency medical teams, engineers and other personnel.
The Syrian Civil Defence, or better known as the White Helmets, are an extraordinary group of volunteers who’ve been helping since the civil war. In the current crisis, they’ve been been rescuing people from explosions caused by bombing during the war. And now, they have been risking their lives to help anyone they can from all areas of Syria affected by the earthquake. They have been digging out victims with their own hands due to lack of equipment and several have also lost their lives.
Further, New Zealand is providing £527,000 to the Turkish Red Crescent and £263,000 to the Syrian Arab Red Crescent – as well as food, tents, blankets, medical assistance. China is donating the Turkish Red Crescent and Syrian Red Crescent each with £166,600 in humanitarian assistance.
Here’s how you can help:
There are several organisations accepting donations to aid the victims in any way possible.
UNICEF
The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) are on ground and are accepting donations. To provide clean water and help children find their families
Click here to donate to UNICEF
Turkish Red Crescent
The Turkish Red Crescent has over 200 members of staff and hundreds of volunteers in the country, providing catering services, tents, blankets and beds. They are also asking for people to donate blood for those injured.
Click here to donate to the Turkish Red Crescent
AFAD
The AFAD is Turkey’s offical disaster and emergency management authority.
Click here to donate to the AFAD
AKUT
AKUT is a non-governmental search and rescue organisation, they are aiding those who have been lost in the earthquake.
Click here to donate to AKUT
The Union of Medical Care and Relief Organisations
The Union of Medical Care and Relief Organisaions ahve been ehlping Syria since the civil war and have reached out for internatioanl aid and emergency funds to provide aid and rescue source
Click here to donate to the Union of Medical Care and Relief Organisations
OXFAM
Oxfam is a worldwide organisation that has been fighting to end poverty and injustice; they have organised an appeal to help Turkey and Syria.
Click here to donate to OXFAM
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