Turkey-Syria Earthquake: Britons help DEC appeal raise over £30m on first day
An appeal started by the UK's Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) to help hundreds of thousands of people affected by the earthquake hit Turkey and Syria has raised more than £30 million in its first day.
The DEC - which includes 15 charities such as the British Red Cross, Oxfam and ActionAid - is raising money for aid and support to help those impacted by the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that has killed more than 21,000 people.
The UK public has rallied round in a generous show of support for the committee, raising £32.9 million within 24 hours, including £5 million matched by the UK government.
The total amount includes donations from King Charles III, Camilla, the Queen Consort, and the Prince and Princess of Wales.
Saleh Saeed, Chief Executive of the DEC, said: “I am tremendously grateful to all the people who have already donated to the DEC Turkey-Syria Earthquake Appeal. “The stories we are now hearing from the survivors who have managed to escape the ruins of flattened and crumpled buildings without shoes and coats in the depths of winter are desperately sad. “It is hard to grasp what they and their families are going through. But what we do know is that help is already being delivered by 14 of our member charities using funds donated to the DEC. They are providing hot meals, blankets, and medical aid."
On Thursday, Daniel Craig, the former James Bond actor, 54, urged Britons to donate to those “in desperate need of life-saving support” in a televised appeal, telling the public they “can and must” help.
Daniel Craig later said: “Emergency responders and aid workers desperately need your donations to help with the rescue efforts and to ease some of this suffering.
"Even a small amount will make a huge difference – providing a warm blanket or a hot meal. Please give whatever you can.” Sir Michael Palin, who is also supporting the fundraising drive, added: "The level of destruction and loss caused by this week’s earthquakes in Turkey and Syria is hard to comprehend. More than 11,000 people have been killed and many more injured. “Children have been pulled from the rubble of collapsed buildings and families have been torn apart – a natural disaster of this scale does not discriminate. “Your donations can help fund vital medical aid, emergency shelter, food and clean water supplies, and provide some comfort in a truly desperate situation. Please give whatever you can. Thank you.”
The catastrophic earthquake hit the border region between Turkey and Syria, an area home to more than 13.5 million people, early on Monday morning. With morgues and cemeteries overwhelmed, bodies lay wrapped in blankets, rugs and tarps in the streets of some cities.
Temperatures remain below freezing across the large region, and many people have no place to shelter, hampering relief efforts to try and bring food, clean water and sanitary supplies.
For more details on how to donate visit the DEC's donation page here or phone 0370 60 60 610
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