Earthquake survivors in Turkey and Syria will receive emergency aid of £60,000 thanks to Nottinghamshire Freemasons

More than 22,000 people are now known to have died after a 7.9 magnitude quake struck the Pazarcik district of southern Kahramanmaras province, with a magnitude 6.4 aftershock also hitting the southern Gaziantep province.

The tremor ranks among the most deadly natural disasters of the century, surpassing others such as the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

Rescuers are still searching rubble for survivors, but hopes are fading more than four days since the first quake.

The grant, which comes through the Masonic Charitable Foundation, which is funded by Freemasons, their families, and friends, from across England and Wales, will go to the British Red Cross, UK for UNHCR and UNICEF who are leading the relief effort on the ground.

Luke Tredget, head of emergencies from the British Red Cross, said: “We’re very grateful for this generous grant which will allow us to provide immediate emergency relief to people who are in desperate need.

“This disaster has devastated vast areas of both countries and left millions of people in urgent need of help.”

Philip Marshall, the Provincial Grand Master for Nottinghamshire, said: “I’m pleased we’ve been able to help the Red Cross, UNICEF and the UNHCR with their relief effort following this terrible earthquake.

“Many thousands of people are in very urgent need of assistance and I’m proud that Freemasons are providing essential support to charities on the ground working with survivors.”