Brits urged to donate essentials to help Turkey earthquake survivors

Public asked to donate essentials that can be found in their homes - like first aid kits, power banks and tents

Volunteers carry food boxes to distribute to displaced people following a devastating earthquake, in the coastal city of Latakia, Syria (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Britons are being urged to donate essentials to help survivors of the devastating earthquake in Turkey.

More than 25,000 people have now died and hundreds of thousands more have been left injured and homeless after large swathes of the country were devastated.

The Independent is asking readers to help financially by giving generously to help those in desperate need, with all funds raised going to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Turkey-Syria earthquake appeal.

However, the public can also help by dropping off in-need items at donation centres across the country.

Volunteer Rengin Dogan has been directly impacted by the disaster and is now working with a number of such centres in London.

The 23 year-old said survivors are most in need of the following items:

• Tinned food
• Heaters
• Tents
• Sleeping bags
• Power banks
• Baby formula
• Nappies
• Blankets
• Pillows
• Sanitary towels
• Flashlights
• Batteries

Ms Dogan has lost loved ones to the earthquake and has other relatives still trapped under rubble.

“This tragedy is something that I’m going to live with forever,” the quantity surveying student said. “I was stuck for three days of not knowing where my grandmother was, which was killing me. I was doing everything in my power on social media to reach everyone and try help her.”

Ms Dogan lost up to 15 of her family members and said the tragedy is something that will live with her forever (Mustafa Qadri)

Ms Dogan worked closely with the British Alevi Federation - who helped set up many donation centres across London.

She said she is “proud and grateful for the community coming together and donating items so far,” and is asking for the public to donate more money and just the essentials listed.

“People are fleeing because they need access to warmth, they need access to food, they need access to a hot shower,” she said. “Especially in the villages, they have no access to hot food out there, they have no access to anything electricity.

“Aid is reaching the main city centres, but there’s no aid is reaching the villages and there’s thousands of people in villages.”

Ms Dogan said that toilet and sanitary products are scarce in most villages and there is an urgent need for medical staff.

“Women are still lacking basic needs like tampons and there is no medical staff where people are gathered,” she said. “People are having to stay in cars due to a shortage of tents.”