How to support relief efforts in Turkey and Syria after deadly quakes

Rescuers are racing against time to pull survivors from the rubble before they succumb to cold weather after an earthquake tore through southern Turkey and war-ravaged northern Syria on Monday. 

The death toll has now surpassed 12,000, with tens of thousands of injured. Search teams from around the world have joined local emergency personnel in Turkey and Syria to look for victims.

The last three days have brought dramatic rescues, including small children emerging from mounds of debris more than 30 hours after Monday’s predawn quake. There’s also been widespread despair and growing anger at the slow pace of rescue efforts in some areas.

To support the relief efforts underway, here are some organizations working to support victims of the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, below.

(Before you donate, it is always advised to do some research. Sites like Charity Navigator can provide information on some lesser-known organizations. If you suspect any individual or organization committing fraud, you can report it to the National Center for Disaster Fraud, part of the US Justice Department.)

• AFAD, Turkey’s official disaster/emergency response authority.
• AKUT, Turkish nongovernmental rescue and relief organization. 
• Union of Medical Care & Relief Organizations, a coalition of humanitarian, nongovernmental, and medical organizations.
• AHBAP, a local, voluntary network of philanthropists and volunteers.
• Syrian American Medical Society, a global medical relief organization.
• Molham Team, a volunteer organization.
• They Choose Love, a campaign supported by Syrian filmmaker Waad al-Kateab.
• Oxfam, an international humanitarian relief organization.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.