Red Cross asking for cash donations to help with efforts in Turkey and Syria

The Canadian Red Cross is asking for help from Saskatchewan people to assist with the rescue efforts in Turkey and Syria following the deadly earthquake there earlier this week.

The 7.8 magnitude earthquake has left thousands dead and has crumbled buildings, causing emergency relief crews to work day and night attempting to find those stranded underneath the rubble.

Breanne England is with the Canadian Red Cross and is also in charge of some of its Middle East operations. She said crews there are working to get people the help they need.

“We have been providing search and rescue, first aid and ambulance services to many individuals who have been displaced. Search and rescue right now is the biggest priority,” England said.

“For some context such as in northern Syria, there isn’t the full equipment or machinery available to try and help rescue those individuals. People are using their hands and shovels to try and save lives.”

England said rescue efforts have also been impacted directly because of a big cold front making its way throughout northern Syria and southern Turkey.

While the rescue efforts have been impacted by the cold, England notes the Red Cross is still working hard to get people the help they need.

She says a Canadian Red Cross delegate landed in the region Tuesday to help operations in those regions.

England noted the best way to help their efforts in the devastated area is by donating cash.

“The Canadian Red Cross has launched an appeal in Canada. If there are people in Saskatchewan who feel the need to help, they can go to redcross.ca and donate,” England said.

“Right now, because it’s such an evolving situation, we do encourage financial donations. That allows our first responders on the ground to try and provide humanitarian assistance as needed.”

The Canadian government announced Tuesday it would match donations made to the Red Cross to help efforts in Syria and Turkey.

England mentioned the situation on the ground is catastrophic, especially in northern Syria.

She’s been travelling to and from the country for the last decade and says right now this is the worst she has ever seen it. That’s because of unrest and war in the country — and this earthquake has made things worse.

“The situation in Syria is more dire now than it was 10 years ago,” she said. “People’s coping mechanisms are absolutely depleted.”

— With files from 980 CJME’s Daniel Reech