Desperate rescue efforts are continuing in the wake of the earthquakes that have devastated parts of Türkiye and Syria.
If you're feeling helpless as you watch on from the other side of the world, you may be considering donating money to assist the victims and rescue missions.
Here's how you can help.
Is there an official appeal for the Turkish and Syrian earthquake?
There is no single official appeal for victims of the earthquake.
There are, however, multiple charities that work to help in these situations.
For example, some support medical workers in the disaster zone. Others assist with providing emergency shelter.
Remember, many charities perform work that helps victims, and donations help those organisations to function rather than go directly to the victims themselves.
Which charities are helping Turkish and Syrian earthquake victims?
There's a coalition of 15 charity organisations collectively called the Emergency Action Alliance, which is launching a joint appeal for the earthquake.
Essentially, the alliance acts as the main portal for fundraising, saving member groups from the administration efforts of appealing for funds.
Member organisations best placed to respond to the crisis apply for funds raised by the alliance, which says no more than 10 per cent of donations go to administration and operation costs.
So far, at least 11 of those charities are already at work in the region:
- Act for Peace
- Action Aid
- ADRA
- ALWS
- Australia for UNHCR
- Baptist World Aid
- CARE Australia
- Caritas Australia
- Plan International
- Oxfam
- Save the Children
You can donate to the Emergency Action Alliance's earthquake appeal here.
But there are many charities outside of the alliance responding to the disaster. Here are a few more:
- Doctors Without Borders: Also known as Medecins Sans Frontieres, the charity provides emergency medical assistance in crises, such as natural disasters and wars. It says its teams stationed in Syria are helping local partners respond to the disaster. There isn't a specific fund for this disaster, but you can donate to the charity's general emergency fund here.
- Red Cross: The Australian Red Cross has set up a dedicated fund called the Türkiye-Syria Earthquakes Appeal. The charity says money raised may go to things such as first-aid services, search and rescue services and helping affected people get back in contact with their families. Any money raised that exceeds the needs of the emergency response — a possibility the Red Cross says is "unlikely" — will be directed to the charity's work in international crises. You can donate to the Australian Red Cross Türkiye-Syria Earthquakes Appeal here.
- UNICEF: The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund provides humanitarian aid to children and adolescents — think providing vaccines and safe water and sanitation. It has set up an appeal to assist children and families affected by the earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria. The charity says money raised will go towards things like emergency shelters and hygiene kits. You can donate to that appeal here.
How can I make sure my money goes to the right place?
Make sure you read what the charity says about what it's going to do with the money before you donate.
It's also important to keep an eye out for scammers, who have been known to pop up in times of natural disasters to take advantage of people wanting to help.
The ACCC's Scamwatch gives the following advice:
- Be wary of charities you've not heard of before
- Be wary of scammers impersonating legitimate charities — they may have set up a website that looks just like the actual charity's site, changing only the details of where to send a donation
- Approach charity organisations directly to make a donation rather than clicking on links or calling numbers sent to you
- Check the organisation's name and look them up. Check the website address to make sure it's the same as what you searched for
- Avoid any arrangement that involves up-front payment via money order, wire transfer, international funds transfer, pre-loaded card or electronic currency, like Bitcoin
- Check if an organisation's credentials are registered on the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission website to make sure it's legitimate You can search the site here.
What's the federal government's advice?
Australians in need of emergency consular assistance should contact the Australian government's 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre.
- For people in Australia: 1300 555 135
- For people outside Australia: +61 2 6261 3305
Australians overseas are encouraged to subscribe to the federal government's Smartraveller travel advice for the latest information.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) says it's aware of "a small number of Australians" reported to be in the region at the time of the quake.
It says it's providing consular assistance to those families, and its missions in Ankara, Istanbul, and Beirut are monitoring the situation closely.
DFAT says Australians affected by the earthquakes and the aftershocks should follow the directions of local authorities.
