How to help the victims of the Pakistan floods
UPDATE: As flood relief efforts continue in Pakistan, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton committed an additional $60 million to these efforts at a U.N. General Assembly meeting on Thursday, bringing the total U.S. contribution to $150 million, the Washington Post reports.*
More than one-fifth of Pakistan is under water, as torrential monsoon rains continue to fall. The United Nations (U.N.) Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs estimates that nearly 14 million people have been displaced and more than 1,200 are declared dead -- numbers that are expected to rise over the next several days.
"The scale of the disaster is huge; the need of the people affected are huge," says John Holmes, U.N. humanitarian coordinator, as quoted by The New York Times. The organization has requested almost a half a billion in humanitarian aid.
As these humanitarian needs continued to be assessed, here is what you can do to help support these crucial emergency relief efforts:
AmeriCares is sending relief supplies to the region. Donations are accepted through its website;
Doctors Without Borders is providing emergency cooking sets, water tabs, hygiene kits, plastic sheeting to displaced Pakistanis. Support this work with contributions to its emergency fund;
International Medical Corps workers are also on the ground in Peshawar, providing medical care to evacuees. Donations can be made through the IMC website;
The International Rescue Committee, which assists refugees in crisis situations, is on the ground in the flood zone assessing the situation and preparing to bring aid to victims in northwest Pakistan. You can donate to assist the IRC's efforts in Pakistan—and in other crisis zones—at its website;
MercyCorps has established a Pakistan Emergency Fund to help displaced families in the hard-hit Swat Valley;
Oxfam hopes to reach 400,000 people affected by the floods by deploying tanker trucks to the region to help maintain clean water supplies, preventing the spread of waterborne illnesses. It is also providing hygiene kits and helping survivors evacuate. Donations are being accepted through its website;
Save the Children is already on the ground, and is accepting donations for its work in Pakistan at its website;
UNICEF is providing emergency assistance to more than 1 million children in immediate need. Visit the website to donate to the U.S. Fund for UNICEF;
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), the world's largest humanitarian agency, plans to provide food assistance to up to 6 million Pakistanis affected by recent flooding in the coming weeks. Those interested in supporting WFP's relief work in Pakistan can donate online at https://usa.wfp.org/donate/pakistan or text the word "AID" to 27722 to donate $10 automatically charged to their cell phone bill. Each $10 donation will provide emergency food to nine flood victims. Donors can also call toll-free at 866-929-1694 to make a donation.
World Vision has already delivered food and water to more than 21,000 people living in school buildings and on what's left of the main roads in Charsadda and Nowshera. The aid agency also plans to distribute water purification packets and hygiene kits to 150,000 people, tents to 22,500, cooking items to 75,000, and food to at least 37,500. You can help support these efforts by making a donation to their Disaster Relief Fund.
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