Early Monday morning, an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.8 struck Turkey and Syria, one of the largest in the region in nearly a century. The damage is devastating, with videos showing entire housing complexes collapsing. Victims posted on social media, pleading for help as they’re stuck in debris.
Thus far, upwards of 7,000 people have been reported dead or missing, with many injured civilians in need of immediate care. This earthquake struck as people were sleeping, catching many unaware. First responders are being pushed to their limits trying to attend to the injured, as well as those who are still stuck in buildings. Even international relief efforts are hurrying to the affected regions. It truly is an emergency of alarming scale, and while some of us aren’t able to offer assistance in the way these first responders can, there are other ways for us to help.
The Syria Civil Defense (also referred to as The White Helmets) is currently active in these regions and accepting donations. They are some of the people rescuing trapped civilians:
Nu Day is a Syrian humanitarian non-profit currently accepting donations, particularly focusing on women and children who might have been left behind.
The Turkish Red Crescent (also known as Kizilay, or the Turkish Red Cross) is accepting donations for various needs. Currently, they are erecting tents to provide warmth, security, and food for those who’ve been displaced.
The iHH, a Turkish humanitarian relief group, is also accepting donations as they continue to conduct search and rescue efforts.
Popular content creator Hasanabi is also raising funds across the board:
If you have any other resources to share, please let us know in the comments and we’ll be sure to update this article on a timely basis.
(featured image: Burak Kara, Getty Images)
