The Canberra restaurant owner feels lost in the wake of the 7.8 magnitude earthquake which struck Turkey and northwest Syria in the early hours of Monday.

More than 7000 people have died, with the death toll expected to climb.

"I don't know, should I be happy because my family is alive but other people they're dead?" he said.

"And we still don't know [whether] they're alive or not, they're under the buildings."

Mr Baran, who owns Zeytin Turkish Restaurant in Kingston, has family and friends in the cities of Tarsus, Sanli, Urfa and Adiyaman, all within 200km of the earthquake's epicentre in Gaziantep.

Moments before being interviewed, he had been on the phone with a friend, who told him four more people had been saved from the rubble in their town.

His cousin, involved in the rescue efforts is working up to 20 hours a day to pull people out, while other relatives have lost their home in the disaster.

"People are outside cold, rainy, snowy ... they're hungry and they're freezing," he said.

"They need more help."

"They need blankets, food, or a place they can [protect] themselves, because the tent doesn't work, it's cold and rainy and windy."

The Australian government committed $10 million in humanitarian aid to the relief effort on Monday.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the millions would be distributed through Red Cross partners and humanitarian agencies to those most in need.

"I think all of the world's thoughts and condolences are with the people in this region who are suffering at this time," he said.

Turkish Ambassador designate Ufuk Gezer welcomed the Australian government's "timely decision".

"This latest announcement by the prime minister came at the right time and and I'm sure that that money will be put in good use to help alleviate the suffering of the earthquake victims," he said.

"It is a tragedy of unprecedented scale," Mr Gezer said of the earthquake.

"We are doing our best to help those who need help at the moment."

Consulates in Sydney and Melbourne are working to put Turkish Australians and those affected in contact with their loved ones right away, he said.

The Turkish embassy in Canberra will be taking donations for the relief effort soon, with plans to set up a fund by Wednesday.

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The money will go back to the Turkish government's Disaster Management Authority to distribute, Mr Gezer said.

"A lot of people are asking us, 'What can we do on a personal basis?'" he said.

"They can just try to donate whatever they can to the best of their ability."

"Everything is in high demand right now, because it's the wintertime: winter clothing, tents, blankets, you name it."

"So this is what they can do."

Mr Gezer has only been in Canberra for two weeks, and is due to present his credentials to the Governor General on Wednesday.

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