Scots raise almost £5m for earthquake survivors in Turkey and Syria

People wanting to donate to help earthquake survivors in Turkey and Syria are being urged to do so via recognised charities by Scotland’s International Development Minister.

The 7.8-magnitude quake on Monday killed more than 24,000 people, injured another 80,000 and left millions homeless.

The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) which brings together 15 leading UK aid charities, has raised £52.8m in two days through its appeal, including £5m in matched funding from the UK Government.

The amount raised by the appeal includes almost £5m from people in Scotland – with the Scottish Government having contributed £500,000 to the relief effort.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue service has sent trained staff to help with search and rescue efforts in the areas affected.

Scotland’s international development minister Neil Gray described the situation in Turkey and Syria as “utterly devastating” and said the world must come together to “help the people affected recover from this terrible tragedy”.

He said it was “heart-warming to see in this time of great need” that people across Scotland had already raised millions of pounds in humanitarian aid in the first 24 hours of the DEC Appeal.

Mr Gray added: “I would encourage everyone who is in a position to do so, to donate to the DEC Appeal or other established charities to ensure aid reaches those affected as quickly and efficiently as possible.

“The needs in a humanitarian crisis are constantly shifting and financial donations enable the charities on the ground to purchase necessary supplies at pace.

“Donated goods, however well intentioned, can take a lot of resources to manage, sort, and dispose of unneeded items.

“If you are making a donation, always check that you are supporting a reputable charity. Further information on how to help safely and effectively can be found on the Ready Scotland website.”