Australian Red Cross launches appeal for the Türkiye-Syria earthquakes

Following the Türkiye-Syria earthquakes, Australian Red Cross has today launched the Australian Red Cross Türkiye-Syria Earthquakes Appeal to support its Red Cross and Red Crescent partners on the ground in Türkiye and north-west Syria.

The appeal has already received support from partners such as Intrepid Travel, which has committed $100,000 through its not-for-profit, the Intrepid Foundation.

The Director of International Programs at Australian Red Cross, Alex Mathieson said donations to the Australian Red Cross Türkiye-Syria Earthquakes Appeal will help provide immediate and longer-term relief to communities affected by the earthquakes.

“The impact of the disaster in these countries is heartbreaking with the humanitarian needs on the ground being high – something we expect only to increase as the full scale of destruction caused is identified.

“This appeal will enable our Red Cross and Red Crescent partners on the ground to address both the immediate and longer terms humanitarian impacts of the earthquakes.”

In addition to the appeal, Australian Red Cross has welcomed the Federal Government's pledge of $10 million in humanitarian aid for those affected by the earthquakes - $4 million of which will be provided to support the humanitarian efforts of our Red Cross and Red Crescent partners in Türkiye.

Funds raised through the Australian Red Cross Türkiye-Syria Earthquakes Appeal will help provide immediate and longer-term relief to communities affected by the earthquakes. This will enable Red Cross and Red Crescent partners to address the immediate and longer terms humanitarian impacts of the earthquakes including:

• emergency relief assistance including shelter, health, water and sanitation, and providing basic aid items
• longer-term recovery support to affected communities as needs arise
• specialist aid workers to assist local teams to respond to the crisis
• helping people restore contact with family members separated by the crisis by offering services to maintain family links and locate missing family members.

Donations can be made online at redcross.org.au or via credit card by phoning 1800 733 276, 9am to 5pm AEDT.

For media queries or interview requests, contact media@redcross.org.au or call 1800 733 443