A Forest Gate charity has raised more than £1 million for Turkish refugees who have fled the country following the recent earthquakes in the region.

Shakil Malji, chief executive of Abdullah Aid, travelled to Turkish refugee camps in Syria on February 9 for a week to hand out supplies, including food, blankets, hygiene equipment and clothing.

Shakil said: "Seeing all the destruction in Turkey is devastating because you’ve got the smell of dead bodies and you’ve got kids crying, elders crying."

Newham Recorder: Shakil travelled to the refugee camps on February 9Shakil travelled to the refugee camps on February 9 (Image: Abdullah Aid)

The first two earthquakes struck southern Turkey and northern Syria on Monday, February 6, followed by a 6.4 magnitude earthquake in Turkey on Monday, February 20.

More than 44,000 people were killed by the first two earthquakes, according to Red Cross.

Shakil continued: "[People are] trying to come out of the rubble because they’re stuck and then you’ve got family members on the other side of the streets waiting for their loved ones who are also trapped.

"It was at a point where more than anything people were looking for their family members."

Newham Recorder: Thousands of people have died and more are injured following the earthquakesThousands of people have died and more are injured following the earthquakes (Image: Abdullah Aid)

Abdullah Aid provides aid and relief to 25 countries across the world.

Having been to disaster zones in multiple countries, Shakil said: "This is probably one of the worst disasters I’ve ever seen - this was really on another level, totally terrible."

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Shakil said that when the second earthquake hit Turkey, he could feel it from his hotel in Lebanon: "When that earthquake happened we actually felt the tremors in Lebanon, the neighbouring country, in the hotel.

"The hotel was totally shaking while we were in there – that’s how bad it was… so we knew that something had happened in the surrounding area."

Newham Recorder: Shakil said Abdullah Aid was bringing clothes, food, blankets and other essential supplies to Turkish refugeesShakil said Abdullah Aid was bringing clothes, food, blankets and other essential supplies to Turkish refugees (Image: Abdullah Aid)

Shakil said the money raised was used to buy the essential supplies which were then driven to Syria on a convoy of trucks.

He added: "We had an opportunity to serve them as much as we can and it was a great thing we were able to do."