Turkey-Syria earthquake: People rally to help survivors

Communities from across the south of England are rallying together to offer help to those affected by the earthquake in Turkey and Syria.

More than 5,000 people have been killed in the 7.8 magnitude quake that hit both countries on Monday.

Donations and help are being sent by groups in Dorset and Berkshire.

Nine firefighters from the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service have also been deployed to Turkey.

Several items were collected at Meyrick Park Cafe in Bournemouth on Tuesday morning.

Dilek Oksuz, whose mother owns the cafe, took to social media on Monday evening to ask the community to donate.

"I am gobsmacked, I wasn't expecting this myself," she said.

"We just thought a small help would be enough but this is way more."

Residents have donated blankets, food, sanitary products and clothes for people of all ages and all items will be transported to Turkey on a cargo flight.

Ms Oksuz, who has family in Turkey, added: "The biggest help we can provide is sending people nappies, blankets - keeping them warm and hygienic rather than sending financial support and we don't know where it goes."

She continued: "I haven't slept for the past two days and I haven't stopped crying because it just shows you how much people can help each other."

Resident Mel Bulbul donated clothing, baby food and painkillers because she said all the pharmacies will be closed in Turkey.

"This is more than I expected , all of us to come together and help each other out, it just amazes me," she said.

Elsewhere in Dorset, Sherborne Abbey Primary School will run a non-uniform day on Friday, asking each child to donate 50p.

And Weymouth Rotary Club said it was providing three worth £2,000, which contain tents, water purification units, ground sheets, mosquito nets, tools, and other essential supplies.

The club said Pilgrim House trustees were also matching their donation.

The funds raised will be sent to the Red Cross to support those affected by the earthquake.

International NGO Khalsa Aid, which has an office in Slough, Berkshire, has confirmed it will be dispatching a team from the UK and one from Iraq to help provide food and water.

Several UK charities such as Oxfam have also launched appeals.

The quake struck at 04:17 (01:17 GMT) on Monday at a depth of 17.9km (11 miles) near the city of Gaziantep, according to the US Geological Survey.

A second quake - triggered by the first - had a magnitude of 7.5, and its epicentre was in the Elbistan district of Kahramanmaras province.

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