Here's How You Can Help Victims of Mexico's Deadly Earthquake
Mexico suffered a deadly earthquake on Tuesday—here's how you can help
Mexico was hit by a devastating 7.1 earthquake on Tuesday, which tore down homes, apartments, and businesses, claiming the lives of more than 200 people.
On Wednesday, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto declared three days of national mourning for victims of the earthquake, which occurred—coincidentally—on the anniversary of the country’s 1985 earthquake that killed 10,000 people. It was only two weeks ago that Mexico experienced an earthquake that killed at least 90 people and caused damage to countless homes.
As volunteers attempt to rescue victims from the rubble around Mexico City and the surrounding region, there are things you can do right now to assist our neighbors in the rebuilding efforts.
Here are a few ways to help those affected by the disaster.
Donate to These Trusted Organizations
Local and international organizations are are accepting monetary donations and supplies for earthquake relief. You can donate things like clothes, water, food and other goods to charities, or send money to the nonprofits and crowdfunding efforts, such as Salma Hayek’s Crowdrise donation page (which currently has raised more than $150,000). GoFundMe has also set up a collection of pages for earthquake relief.
Here are some nonprofits to consider donating to:
Volunteer On the Ground
If you are in the area and are safe, there are organizations in need of volunteers to transport supplies and assist in rescue and recovery efforts.
Mexican officials have organized a coordination website to help dispatch people wanting to volunteer. Here is a list of hostels volunteers can stay—and if you know of anyone with room to house volunteers in the area, use social media to get the location out.
Use Social Media to Help Spread Awareness for Missing Victims
With phone lines down in parts of the area, social media is the next tool to help people locate missing family members or friends. If you see a tweet or Facebook post that describes a missing person, share it with your friends in the hopes someone may recognize them.
Keep an eye out, and spread the word.