In the early hours of Feburary 6, Turkey and Syria were both awoken by the quakes of a 7.7 magnitude earthquake. This earthquake, later on, was followed by another one of 7.6 magnitude. Recent numbers from the World Health Organization estimate that the loss of life could be over eight times the current 3,400 casualties due to the extent of the damage.
Our deepest condolences to anyone who has been affected and those mourning the loss of a loved one.
The biggest way that you can currently help is through donating to the following charities:
AKUT: is a voluntary, non-governmental organisation involved in searching, assisting and rescuing the victims of those affected by the earthquake. They accept donations in both euros and dollars at akut.org.tr/en/donation
AFAD: Turkey’s official disaster and emergency management authority. They accept donations in EUR and USD at afad.gov.tr/depremkampanyasi2
The Red Cross/Cruz Roja: the largest humanitarian program in the world with national centres in 192 countries focussed on providing aid to people affected by emergencies. Cruz Roja is the Spanish based office of the ICRC and are currently running a donation drive specifically for victims of the earthquake. https://www2.cruzroja.es/-/ayuda-victimas-terremoto-turquia?fbclid=PAAaaH9thBDv8zcZH7XU0-HDpgdviK8GdEiGLx7Gtsb5d4rZz2au1zely7CEY
If you are not able to donate:
You can help those by simply sharing the pain of others around you by volunteering your time and ears. As there are many members of the IE community that have been either directly or indirectly affected by this natural disaster, it is important to check in on them and offer your support.
IE University offers students various forms of support for their mental and emotional wellbeing. One can email the IEU Counselling team or find out more about them here.
In case you or someone that you know experiences a psychiatric emergency (suicidal ideation, panic attack, etc.) call the 24/7 hotline (bilingual): (+34) 619 270 148
Another way that you can help is by raising social awareness and spreading accurate information via social media! Head to The Stork social media to find posts that you can share.
Cover Image courtesy of GlobalGiving
