Turkey-Syria earthquake: People rally to help survivors

In Science
2023-02-07 15:55:04Z
By BBC

A collection is under way at Meyrick Park Cafe in Bournemouth

Communities from across the south of England are rallying together to offer help to those affected by the earthquake in Turkey and Syria.

More than 5,000 people have been killed in the 7.8 magnitude quake that hit both countries on Monday.

Donations and help are being sent by groups in Dorset and Berkshire.

Nine firefighters from the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service have also been deployed to Turkey.

Mel Bulbul is one of the residents donating at the Meyrick Park Cafe in Bournemouth

Several items were collected at Meyrick Park Cafe in Bournemouth on Tuesday morning.

Dilek Oksuz, whose mother owns the cafe, took to social media on Monday evening to ask the community to donate.

She said she was overwhelmed with the support she received.

"I am gobsmacked, I wasn't expecting this myself," she said.

"We just thought a small help would be enough but this is way more... it just shows how much people can help each other."

Residents have donated blankets, food, sanitary products and clothes for people of all ages and all items will be transported to Turkey on a cargo flight.

Elsewhere in Dorset, Sherborne Abbey Primary School will run a non-uniform day on Friday, asking each child to donate 50p.

And Weymouth Rotary Club said it was providing three "ShelterBoxes" worth £2,000, which contain tents, water purification units, ground sheets, mosquito nets, tools, and other essential supplies.

The club said Pilgrim House trustees were also matching their donation.

people at Meyrick Park Cafe in Bournemouth

The funds raised will be sent to the Red Cross to support those affected by the earthquake.

International NGO Khalsa Aid, which has an office in Slough, Berkshire, has confirmed it will be dispatching a team from the UK and one from Iraq to help provide food and water.

Several UK charities, such as Oxfam and Disasters Emergency Committee, have also launched appeals.

The quake struck at 04:17 (01:17 GMT) on Monday at a depth of 17.9km (11 miles) near the city of Gaziantep, according to the US Geological Survey.

A second quake - triggered by the first - had a magnitude of 7.5, and its epicentre was in the Elbistan district of Kahramanmaras province.

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