A magnitude 7.1 earthquake hit Central Mexico on Tuesday, crumbling infrastructure and killing more than 230 people so far, including at least 25 school children. Families are still searching for their loved ones as rescue teams dig through rubble to uncover survivors. And hospital staff are doing their best to treat the hundreds of people injured during the second quake to rip through the country this month.
As of now, there's no clear indication of how much money will be needed for relief efforts, but the cost will undoubtedly be high. To help victims of the natural disaster, actress Salma Hayek is encouraging fans to contribute what they can to a fundraiser she created through CrowdRise. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Hayek has already committed to donating $100,000 to help UNICEF's relief efforts.
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"The people of my country have now suffered three natural disasters in a row. Many children and families are hurt and in terrible need," Hayek wrote on her fundraising site. "I'm contributing $100,000 right now to support UNICEF's relief efforts which has teams on the ground responding. Please join me and contribute what you can and thank you."
Hayek also made a personal plea in a video posted to the site, in which she recalled living through the magnitude 8.0 earthquake in 1985 that killed thousands of people, including some of her friends and her uncle.
"I have lived through the aftermath of a disaster of this magnitude, and it's horrific," she said. "I am starting a CrowdRise to try to raise money to help the families that are going through this nightmare right now in Mexico."
As of publishing time, Hayek's campaign had raised over $180,000, with contributions from over 1,500 people. In addition to UNICEF, organisations such as Oxfam Mexico, International Community Foundation, Save the Children, and Global Giving Mexico Relief Fund are rallying to provide assistance to victims and are in need of donations.