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In the dark of a winter morning at 4.17am, while most people were asleep in their homes, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit Türkiye and Syria. The damage was widespread and catastrophic, with reports of apartment blocks and office buildings collapsing. At midday, a second 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck, resulting in further damage, injury and loss of life.
The Turkish and Syrian Arab Red Crescent teams have been on the ground, delivering aid and supporting rescue efforts since the first earthquakes hit. These local teams are helping with search and rescue, transportation to hospitals, first aid and distributing essential non-food items.
The scale of need is immense, with many thousands of people in desperate need of emergency relief assistance such as first aid, health, shelter and non-food items.
If you have lost contact with relatives in Türkiye or Syria due to the current situation, our Restoring Family Links team may be able to help. Get in contact Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm (AEST) on 1800 875 199 or email tracing@redcross.org.au.
Donations to the Türkiye-Syria Earthquakes Appeal will help provide immediate and longer-term relief to communities affected by the earthquakes.
That support may include:
In the unlikely event that the funds raised exceed the amount required to meet the emergency needs of people in affected areas, or if there are circumstances beyond the control of Australian Red Cross, excess funds will be directed to our work in international crises.
$38 can provide two families of five with a hygiene parcel that includes soap, toothpaste and other personal items to maintain their health and dignity.
$80 can provide two families of five with a kitchen set so they can cook and eat a warm meal using stainless steel pots, serving utensils, bowls and cutlery.
$417 can provide one family with a winterisation kit that includes essential items to improve the insulation of their emergency shelter tent against the cold
Donations to the Türkiye-Syria Earthquakes Appeal will help provide immediate and longer-term relief to communities affected by the earthquake.
That support may include:
In the unlikely event that the funds raised exceed the amount required to meet the emergency needs of people in affected areas, or if there are circumstances beyond the control of Australian Red Cross, excess funds will be directed to our work in international crises.
Our Restoring Family Links team may be able to help people who have lost contact with relatives in Türkiye or Syria due to the current situation. We assess cases, and work through the global Family Links Network to assist people to re-establish contact with family members. Please be aware that because of the evolving situation this may take some time.
Our Restoring Family Links hotline is available Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm (AEST) on 1800 875 199 or via email at tracing@redcross.org.au.
Read more about our Restoring Family Links service in Arabic | Kurdish | Turkish
Yes, donations over $2 to the Türkiye-Syria Earthquakes Appeal are tax-deductible in Australia. We’ll email you a receipt in your name when you donate online.
Australian Red Cross will not deduct more than 10 per cent of money raised to cover indirect essential costs such as receipting donations, IT costs, costs to send the money overseas and overheads. Any interest earned on donations will be invested back into the appeal.
Red Cross will use the personal information you have provided for the primary purpose of processing your donation. If you agree to receive marketing materials from us about our work, we may also use this information to contact you. You can opt out or request amendments to the personal information at any time by emailing contactus@redcross.org.au or calling 1800 RED CROSS (733 276). We take your privacy seriously; you can refer to our privacy policy for more information.
We welcome volunteer support, but we can’t send volunteers overseas to help in an emergency or humanitarian crisis. When we need to send people overseas, we have a roster of skilled aid workers with extensive experience in their field, together with previous international experience, and training in how our emergency operations work. To volunteer with Red Cross in Australia, visit redcross.org.au/volunteer to search volunteer opportunities.
We really appreciate the generosity, but we are not accepting in-kind donations for food, clothes, medical equipment or other items, as we’re unable to distribute those overseas. There are several good reasons for this. Every item has to be checked, cleaned, sorted, packed, transported, stored and distributed, which hugely increases the cost of the relief effort and diverts from work that may be needed on the ground.
Also, the items donated aren’t always what people need. But cash helps people make dignified choices that are right for them. Even worse, unwanted boxes of donated goods can clog ports and post offices and actually prevent the delivery of essential items like medicines and relief supplies.
The website DonateResponsibly.org has a great explanation of what can go wrong.
If you have good-quality clothes or household items, our Red Cross Shops would gratefully accept them, to on-sell in Australia and raise funds for our vital work. Find out how you can donate »