As the death toll in Turkey and Syria rises to over 11,200 after Monday’s devastating earthquake, the Monaco Red Cross has launched an appeal for donations.

The powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck the southern city of Kahramanmaras of Monday has officially claimed 8,750 lives in Turkey and 2,470 in northwestern Syria. But the World Health Organsation has suggested the final toll could reach as high as 20,000 with many people still trapped under the rubble, and freezing weather conditions hampering rescue efforts.

Meanwhile, officials say that hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to leave their homes.

An international emergency appeal for 70 million Swiss francs has been launched by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) as the Turkish and Syrian Red Crescent Societies are on the front line trying to find survivors and help the injured.

Faced with the scale of the disaster, the Monaco Red Cross is appealing for public donations to support the IFRC in its emergency response, which it will complete with its own funds.

To make a donation, you can send a bank cheque specifying “Turkey”, in cash to be deposited at the headquarters of the Monaco Red Cross – 27 bd de Suisse, via the website www.croix-rouge.mc/faire-un-don/ by selecting “Turkey” in the online donation interface, or by bank transfer (RIB available on the donations web page).

Photo source: Turkish Red Crescent