JERSEY Overseas Aid have pledged £150,000 to charities supporting victims facing ‘unimaginable hardship’ caused by the earthquake which devastated parts of Turkey and Syria.
The funds will go towards The Red Cross and Crescent’s Turkey-Syria Earthquake Appeal, with local teams distributing critical humanitarian aid and medical treatment to those who are injured and vulnerable.
The earthquake has reportedly impacted an area of 400 square kilometres and early indications have stated that the death toll stands at over 17,000.
International Development Minister Carolyn Labey said: ‘Given the sheer scale and acuteness of needs, it is essential that the humanitarian response is coordinated and provides approved partners with the necessary resources to deliver life-saving assistance on the ground, quickly and effectively.’
JOA’s pledge of £150,000 has taken the Island’s donations tot the ongoing crisis in Turkey and Syria to £350,000 in total.
‘Supporting The Red Cross and Crescent Movement complements our existing support of the hard to access region of Northern-Syria who are facing unimaginable hardship after more than a decade of civil war,’ added Deputy Labey.
According to JOA, 87% of the population in northern Syria are reliant on humanitarian aid.
In addition, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) has deployed over 4,000 staff and volunteers to pull people from the rubble across Aleppo, Hama and Lattakia districts.
Richard Blewitt, executive director of International, The British Red Cross, wrote a letter of thanks to Islanders for the response to the crisis.
Mr Blewitt said: ‘When emergencies of this magnitude threaten communities, the early hours of response are critical. You are enabling us to rapidly scale-up our resources so we can save lives by quickly finding people who are sadly missing and supporting the thousands of injured people still reeling from the shock of this disaster.
‘Right now, we know that people are struggling emotionally and more than ever need their families around them. We’ll do all we can to bring families back together and support them through the trauma of this disaster.’
