Turkey-Syria earthquake: UK charities launch DEC disaster appealon February 9, 2023 at 6:33 am

An appeal is being launched by the UK’s Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) to help hundreds of thousands of people affected by earthquakes that hit Turkey and Syria.

UK aid agencies – including the British Red Cross, Oxfam and ActionAid – are joining together to raise money.

Funds will go towards medical aid, emergency shelter, food and clean water after the quakes injured thousands.

The appeal will be broadcast on television on Thursday evening.

More than 15,000 people have died, with that number expected to rise.

Thousands of buildings have been destroyed in the disaster and responders have been searching the rubble for survivors. Many people have lost homes, leaving them without shelter in freezing, winter conditions, the DEC says.

In Syria, some people who were already living in tents after fleeing conflict in the country are now hosting those whose homes have been destroyed by the quake.

The charities say access to clean water is going to be difficult in the coming days, and waterborne diseases will be a hazard.

The UK government will match the first £5m of donations from the public. Money raised will also provide blankets, warm clothes and heaters for safe spaces.

The Scottish government is also contributing £500,000 and the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Scotland will officially launch an appeal on Thursday.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon described the scenes in Turkey and Syria as “heart-wrenching”, adding that: “This earthquake has caused a huge amount of damage and significant loss of life that will be felt for some time to come.”

She said there was an urgent need to help the humanitarian efforts being made and emergency services had already been deployed.

The money donated to the DEC appeal would “support those affected with medical care, shelter, food and clean water”, added Ms Sturgeon.

DEC chief executive Saleh Saeed described the scenes in Turkey and Syria as “heartbreaking”, with thousands “losing loved ones suddenly in the most shocking of ways”.

He said: “We know that money is tight for many people here in the UK as the cost of living crisis continues but, if you can, please do donate to support people caught up in this deadly disaster.”

Salah Aboulgasem, from the Islamic Relief charity, based in Gazientep, Turkey, added: “The priority right now is saving lives by clearing the rubble. The next priority is supporting people who have lost their homes and gone through huge trauma.

“People need medicines and warmth. There is a lot of screaming, people are trying to find relatives. A lot of people are sleeping in cars because they are scared to go back into the buildings due to aftershocks.”

The appeal will be broadcast on the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5 and Sky.

Fourteen of the DEC’s 15 members are either responding, or planning to respond, in Turkey and Syria and will receive funds from the appeal.

The DEC has previously launched similar appeals to raise funds for victims of the Pakistan floods and for Ukrainians displaced by the war with Russia.