How Manitobans can help victims of the devastating earthquakes in Turkiye, Syria
Manitoba’s Islamic community is mobilizing to help after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake-ravaged areas of Turkiye and Syria early Monday morning.
“We're just devastated. Every day or every morning, the news is getting worse right now. So we're very sad across the community, and I'm sure across the province,” Manitoba Islamic Association vice-chair and treasurer Ruheen Aziz told CTV Morning Live Winnipeg in an interview Wednesday.
She said members of the association have family in Turkiye and Syria. Many have had difficulty communicating with loved ones due to the ongoing fallout from the quake, which killed more than 11,000 people, with thousands more injured.
“There's still war and displacement happening in parts of Syria, and so we're all just kind of waiting to hear more from back home,” Aziz said.
The death toll is expected to rise more as search and rescue operations continue in the aftermath of the world’s deadliest earthquake in more than a decade.
Search teams from more than two dozen countries have joined tens of thousands of local emergency responders on the ground in Syria and Turkiye.
The Canadian government announced Tuesday it will send $10 million for relief efforts as part of an initial aid package. International Development Minister Harjit Sajjan also said the feds are conducting a needs assessment to look at sending further aid.
Aziz hopes the government will also match donations made by Canadians. The association is currently raising funds on its website in conjunction with Islamic Relief Canada.
If you’re not able to donate money, Aziz said there are other ways to offer support.
“We've had a tremendous amount of Syrian refugees come and join Manitoba and become neighbours to us. So if you know somebody who is from that community, reach out. Lend an ear. Lend your support.”
- With files from CTV’s Rachel Lagacé and The Canadian Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'He's in our hearts': Family and friends still seek answers one year after Nathan Wise’s disappearance
It’s been a year since Nathan Wise went missing and his family is no closer to finding out what happened to him.
'My family doctor just fired me': Ontario patients frustrated with de-rostering
Dozens of Ontarians are expressing frustration in the province’s health-care system after their family doctors either dropped them as patients or threatened to after they sought urgent care elsewhere.
Ottawa pizzeria places among top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world at international competition
An Ottawa pizzeria is being recognized as one of the top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world.
Canada Post cracks down on Nunavut loophole to get free Amazon Prime shipping
Amazon's paid subscription service provides free delivery for online shopping across Canada except for remote locations, the company said in an email. While customers in Iqaluit qualify for the offer, all other communities in Nunavut are excluded.
Wildfire near Fort McMurray more than triples overnight, several evacuation alerts remain in place
The fire burning near Fort McMurray grew from 25 hectares to 5,500 hectares over the weekend.
Putin replaces Russian defence minister in rare cabinet shakeup
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin began a Cabinet shakeup on Sunday, proposing the replacement of Sergei Shoigu as defence minister as he begins his fifth term in office.
Man fatally 'slashed in the neck' in downtown Toronto, suspect outstanding
Police are searching for a male suspect after a man was “slashed in neck” on Sunday morning in downtown Toronto and died.
WATCH Dashcam video shows terrifying near-miss on two-lane northern Ontario highway
There were some scary moments for several people on a northern Ontario highway caught on video Thursday after a chain reaction following a truck fire.
Edibles, armchairs and adapters: Here are the recalls for this week
Health Canada announced various product recalls this week, including electric adapters, armchairs, cannabis edibles and vehicle components.