The council will make a £15,000 charitable donation to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) to assist with the Turkey-Syria Earthquake Appeal.
A series of devastating earthquakes have hit southern Turkey and north-west Syria killing at least 35,000 people and injuring many more.
People have been left without shelter in freezing winter conditions, with humanitarian needs expected to grow in the coming days. Access to clean water will likely be a challenge, bringing the risk of cholera and other diseases.
Councillor Jim Logue, Leader of North Lanarkshire Council, said, “Devastating earthquakes have hit Turkey and Syria, killing thousands of people, and reducing buildings to rubble. People need urgent aid to survive, and I’m proud that the council is supporting the DEC appeal.
“Donating money is the most effective and fastest way of helping those in need and I’d urge anyone who can to make a financial donation.”
DEC charities and their local partners are among the first responders, working with locally-led relief efforts in Turkey (now known as Türkiye) and Syria.
Immediate priorities are search and rescue, medical treatment for the injured, shelter for those who have lost their homes, heaters for spaces and winter kits with blankets, warm clothes, and ensuring people have food and clean water.
People have been warned that millions of people will be displaced across Turkey and Syria because of the earthquakes last week. It is believed that as many as 5.3 million people in Syria may have been left homeless by the earthquake and this is a significant number that affects a population already suffering mass displacement.
A week after the earthquakes, many people are sleeping out in the open, often in sub-zero cold conditions.
Following full agreement from councillors in North Lanarkshire, the donation to the DEC (made available from end of year underspends) is to help fund its members charities’ UK-based activities whose resources are being put under considerable strain as they respond to the crisis affecting people in the area.
To donate to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Turkey/Syria earthquake appeal visit: www.dec.org.uk/appeal/turkey-syria-earthquake-appeal