From Twitter:
Imagine if all of New York City was made homeless from floods. A third are starving. Now double that number & don't talk about it. #Pakistan
I'm going to ignore that last part and talk about it.
For those suffering from "disaster burnout", I hope you realize the pain of the innocent 20 million people affected by these floods exceeds your own.
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Here's a chart that sums up the problem:
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By my math, that means at least 4.38 million of the 6 to 8 million in desperate need are not getting it today.
Bloomberg:
`Heart-Wrenching' Disaster
Underscoring the need for urgent relief, the United Nations said today up to 3.5 million children are at risk from water- borne diseases, including dysentery. Cholera, typhoid, hepatitis A and E are also concerns, said UN spokesman Maurizio Giuliano in a text message.
"This is due to lack of clean water, and lack of medication. Food shortages complement this picture, as people become more vulnerable if they don’t eat properly," Giuliano said. "We are badly funded -- this is the problem now."
The BBC today:
The floods, which began more than two weeks ago in the mountainous northwest, are the worst in recorded history.
Some 20 million people and 160,000 sq km of land - a fifth of the country - have been affected by the disaster.
AP Photo/Khalid Tanveer |
NY Times this morning:
Desperation Grows in Heart of Flood-Hit Pakistan
But eight million people need immediate emergency aid, according to Maurizio Giuliano, a United Nations spokesman. Only a fraction of emergency shelters, food and water had been provided to the growing number of people displaced by the flooding, he said.
"Money is not coming in as fast as we would like," Mr. Giuliano said.
Nadeem Khawer/European Pressphoto Agency |
Yahoo News:
The floods began three weeks ago, but there is little sign conditions are improving for some 20 million people — or one in nine Pakistanis — who are affected. Tens of thousands of villages remain under water, and officials feared that more flooding could be on the way.
And finally, succinctly from our own Sourmash
It's like a 1,500 mile long, 20 mile [wide] mudslide.
Here is the block of info which give you all you need to save a life or two today.
Please help.
Greg (Three Cups of Tea, Stones Into Schools) Mortnenson's non-profit (CAI) recommends supporting a local (Pakistani) group to which donations will likely have a large, immediate, and lasting impact-
Healing Development Foundation
http://www.hdf.com
(800) 705 1310
From their page about the flooding:
HDF is committed to work towards relief and reconstruction efforts in flood affected HDF program areas including Mardan and Tandoo Muhammad Khan. HDF already has the existing infrastructure and a team of trained employees and volunteers in place. Currently there is need for basic necessities like tents, blankets, cooking sets, utility containers, soap and bedding as well as, basic healthcare.
More details and videos at their site and their YouTube channel.
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Other groups that deserve support as well.
Doctors without Borders (MSF):
DONATE
The Red Cross:
DONATE
OXFAM:
OXFAM's Pakistan page:
With an estimated 6 million people in need of humanitarian assistance, I am concerned that so far the international community hasn’t responded with the speed or on the scale warranted by a disaster of this magnitude.
DONATE
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From the US State dept.
How You Can Help:
Text "SWAT" to 50555; $10 goes to fund for flood victims
Previously recommended diaries about the floods in Pakistan:
• pakistan III: the human face of climate change: ecojustice
• Pakistan still needs help; lots of it. Floods displace 20+ Million
• Pakistan: 6 Million Without Water (How to Help)
• Is Climate Crisis About to Topple a Government?
• Media ignores "Worst Humanitarian Disaster In Recent History"
• They laughed at Al Gore - now the "Inconvenient Truth" starts to make its presence felt
• Pakistan needs help. Floods kill 800+, displace 1 Million
We are looking at what may be the worst humanitarian crisis the world has seen in a century.
If you want to help, please consider posting a diary about this tragedy. No one person or group of people can handle such a burden. This needs to be a group effort.
Thank you.
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