A massive UK fundraising drive launched by the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) has raised "an extraordinary total of £32.9 million (nearly $41 million) within a matter of hours," the British ambassador-designate to Türkiye said Friday.
Jill Morris wrote on Twitter that the amount includes £5 million of a UK aid match from the British government.
"The British people stand with the people of Türkiye," she said.
The DEC launched the campaign Wednesday to help hundreds of thousands of people affected by the powerful earthquakes that hit Türkiye and Syria on Monday.
It brought together 15 major UK aid charities, including the British Red Cross, Oxfam and ActionAid to raise funds that will cover medical aid, emergency shelter, food and clean water.
At least 20,213 people were killed and 80,052 injured by two strong earthquakes that jolted southern Türkiye, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said Friday.
The 7.7- and 7.6-magnitude earthquakes, centered in the Kahramanmaras province, affected more than 13 million people across 10 provinces, also including Adana, Adiyaman, Diyarbakir, Gaziantep, Hatay, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye and Sanliurfa.
In neighboring Syria, the death toll has climbed above 3,300, with more than 5,200 wounded.
Source: Anadolu Agency