Two earthquakes devastated Syria and Turkey on Monday leaving over 17,500 people dead and prompting massive destruction and debris across the region. The 7.7 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes hit southeastern Turkey and northwestern Syria and caused a series of tremors and aftershocks that were felt in Lebanon, Palestine, and Egypt. Rescue missions from all over the world are underway to save trapped civilians in Syria and Turkey.
Below is a list of all the resources and organizations you can reach out to for aid in this humanitarian crisis. We will keep this list updated. If you have further suggestions or organizations that you think we should add, please feel free to reach out to info@kerningcultures.com or DM us on Instagram or Twitter.
Where to Donate:
- UNHCR is currently providing urgent relief to survivors including tents, blankets, and hygiene kits.
- The United Nations released a $25 million emergency fund to provide assistance in the regions affected by the earthquake. Donations through the UN can be made here.
- Mercy-USA, a US-based relief charity organization is requesting donations for the victims of the earthquake in Syria and Turkey. Aid includes food, water, hygiene kits, and blankets.
- The Turkish Red Cross is requesting tent donations for earthquake survivors.
- The Canadian Red Cross launched an earthquake appeal and is currently providing aid to earthquake survivors. The organization also announced that the Canadian government will match donations from individuals to the Canadian Red Cross to support their aid.
- Doctors without Borders, the global movement providing medical humanitarian aid to people in crisis, are currently treating patients in hardest-hit healthcare facilities in Turkey and Syria and are donating blankets, food, and emergency trauma and surgery kits.
- Save The Children, the international organization responsible for improving the lives of vulnerable children worldwide, launched a Children’s Emergency Fund to aid children affected by the earthquake and provide them with crucial support they need.
- The White Helmets, a humanitarian voluntary organization is currently rescuing civilians from collapsed buildings and requesting donations and support to find survivors and transport injured people to the hospital.
- Choose Love is a humanitarian aid organization that provides refugees and displaced people with life-saving support. To donate to their emergency fundraiser for Syria and Turkey, click here.
- An Earthquake Relief Crowdfunder was launched by a group of employees at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to provide aid and supplies to support earthquake survivors in Turkey.
Where to Volunteer:
- The International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC) launched immediate cash assistance from their Disaster Response Emergency Fund to the Syrian Red Crescent to help them continue their medical and relief efforts. Rescue teams from the Turkish Red Crescent and Syrian Arab Red Crescent were deployed in hardest-hit areas to aid survivors and support search and rescue operations. Aid provided to survivors includes tents and blankets, hot meals, performing medical evacuations, and transporting injured people to the hospital. The IFRC is currently seeking 200 million respondents to the deadly earthquake in Syria and Turkey. For more information on how to volunteer or deliver humanitarian assistance, please check the following contacts:
In Beirut (covering Syria): Mey Elsayegh, +961 3 229 352, mey.elsayegh@ifrc.org
In Ankara: Elif Isik, +90 5398575197, elif.isik@ifrc.org
In Geneva: Tommaso Della Longa, +41.79.708.4367, tommaso.dellalonga@ifrc.org
In Budapest: Corrie Butler, +36 704306506, corrie.butler@ifrc.org