Turkish and Syrian Earthquakes – support available

9th February, 2023

Many people have contacted me, deeply concerned for those affected by the crisis that has occurred in Turkey and Syria. On the 6th of February, two high magnitude earthquakes devastated southern Turkey, spreading across the border into north-western Syria. More than 15,000 lives have been lost.

My thoughts are with all those affected, not least people in Plymouth who have lost loved ones or are uncertain about their wellbeing. The UK government must play its part in the humanitarian response.

Do you need help?

If you’re a British national in Turkey and you require consular assistance, you can call the British Embassy on +90 312 455 3344 where consular officers are available 24/7.

British nationals in Turkey should also follow the information and advice of the local authorities and sign up for FCDO Travel Advice email alerts: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/turkey/email-signup.

Within Syria, Consular support is not available from the British government as all services of the British Embassy in Damascus are suspended and all diplomatic and consular staff have been withdrawn. However, if you need to speak to a consular officer regarding any British national in Syria, call the FCDO in London on +44 (0)20 7008 5000.

If you would like to donate

People in Plymouth have always stepped up to support those who are going through difficult times. If you would like to donate to the relief effort, the best way to is through monetary donations to reputable charities that are tackling the crisis. Here are a few of those charities and organisations providing the necessary relief and support to those in need:

Disasters Emergency Committee: https://www.dec.org.uk/appeal/turkey-syria-earthquake-appeal

British Red Cross:

https://donate.redcross.org.uk/appeal/turkey-syria-earthquake-appeal

Islamic Relief:

https://www.islamic-relief.org.uk/giving/appeals/turkiye-syria-earthquake-appeal/

Action Aid:

https://www.actionaid.org.uk/donate/emergency/dec-turkey-syria-earthquake-appeal

Oxfam:

https://www.oxfam.org.uk/oxfam-in-action/current-emergencies/turkey-and-syria-earthquake-appeal/?cid=aw&awc=2921_1675941209_f95e8c73306f7bceb08d938a240d33d8&dclid=CjkKEQiA0JKfBhDjqqH-1OnunJwBEiQA7U41vt6Cm0EeoyB-qm37YKCUsUId7EXjxWto2sLQXuPyJY3w_wcB

Unicef:

https://www.unicef.org.uk/donate/syria-turkiye-earthquake/

Doctors Without Borders: