Meath responds to Turkish/Syrian earthquake disaster
Irish people are responding to appeals to help victims of the massive earthquake in Turkey and Syria this week, which has seen the death toll rise to 11,236 while the World Health Organisation (WHO) are expecting the number of fatalities to increase substantially in the coming days.
While Irish humanitarian aid organisations are scaling up their emergency response, the Turkish Community in Meath has launched appeals for aid.
Turkish barber, Tarkan Gozutok in Preston Place in Navan is collecting aid at his premises, which he will deliver to the Turkish Embassy who will fly the supplies directly to the crisis hit areas.
“It is very distressing, so many are dead and so many still underground,” says Tarkan. “Fortunately my family are safe – they live in the west near Istanbul and away from the the affected area,”
Aydin Uyanik who runs a barber shop in Kells is also accepting goods for Turkey.
“We will deliver these supplies to the the Turkish Embassy in Dublin where Turkish Airlines will then deliver the supplies to the emergency response teams in Turkey. If possible we ask that any supplies you can donate be placed in a cardboard box with a label to indicate contents. This will speed up the distribution of goods. Alternatively we will box and label the items dropped in,” he said.
He said his family in Turkey are safe as they live a long distance away from the devastated area.
“They are all safe, but Turkey is my home, my country. I am heartbroken to see all the pictures of what is happening."
The goods they are hoping to be donated for transport to Turkey include winter clothes (adults and kids): coats; jackets; raincoats; boots; sweaters; trousers; gloves; scarves; beanies; socks and underwear: tents; beds; mattresses (for tents); blankets; sleeping bags and vacuum flasks, food boxes: non-perishable foodstuffs and canned food; baby food; diapers (nappies) and hygiene and sanitary products.
Dóchas, the Irish network for international development and humanitarian organisations has also launched an appeal .
Dóchas CEO Jane-Ann McKenna, said ‘”Temperatures in the region are below zero overnight. People are trapped, and many have been left without shelter, or cut off from basic supplies.
“Local facilities are overwhelmed, and there is an urgent need for food, water, temporary shelter, clothes, blankets, hygiene and sanitary products, and medical items. It is vital that these supplies are delivered as quickly as possible and to those who need them most.”
The following Irish aid organisations that have launched emergency appeals to support the relief effort;
Click on the organisation names below to be taken directly to their appeal pages.
Salesians of Don Bosco Ireland
Meanwhile eir has announced it will credit all text and call charges for customers contacting loved ones in Turkey and Syria.
The company will credit the costs of all calls and texts charges from Ireland to Turkey and Syria for all eir and GoMo Mobile customers to ensure customers can stay in touch with friends and family impacted by the earthquake this week.
This applies to eir and GoMo Mobile bill pay and prepay customers and currently valid from Monday 6th February through to Monday 20th February, when it will be reviewed.
There is no action to avail of this, all charges will be credited before the end of February 2023 or the next billing cycle depending on if the account is Prepay or Post Pay.
eir offers full sympathies to all those affected by the devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria.