Australian Red Cross Pakistan monsoon floods appeal

Okay, listen up peeps. This is serious.

It's about the Pakistan monsoon floods.

Gone under your radar a bit? I am embarrassed to say: ditto.

But the Red Cross says this is bigger than Haiti and the Boxing Day tsumani put together.

When I watched The 7pm Project last night I was gobsmacked at the severity of the whole catastrophe. When I heard that the equivalent of Australia's population has been affected I was astounded. And when I heard the gravity in Tim Costello's voice, I knew the situation was completely dire.

I contacted the Australian Red Cross and asked what I could do.

Simply, they need the message out and they need donations. Now.

To donate, go here:

https://www.redcross.org.au/Donations/onlineDonations.asp

I just did and it felt good. And it was super easy. And anything over $2 is a tax deduction.

And for more info, go here:

http://www.redcross.org.au/Pakistan_floods_2010.htm

Here are some facts from the Red Cross site:

- In addition to the millions affected, 1600 people have died and 722,000 homes have been destroyed or damaged.

- Food supplies have also been destroyed. People no longer have livelihoods. Merchants have lost all their stock. Small-scale farmers have lost more than 14,000 cattle and 2.6 million acres of crops have also been destroyed.

- Six million people - just under the entire populations of Sydney and Melbourne - will require long-term assistance to get their lives back on track: assistance to fix or replace damaged houses, micro-loans to restart businesses or replace lost livestock, seeds to resew crops.

- Aid is getting through but it is difficult to reach all areas. Dozens of bridges have been washed away and major landslides have blocked many roads.

- And the Pakistan Meteorological Department is forecasting another two phases of monsoonal rains before the end of August.

Here is what the Red Cross has already done:

International Red Cross aid workers are working alongside Pakistan Red Crescent Society to help those people worst affected. Over the past two weeks, Red Cross has assisted more than 100,000 people with: tracing missing family members, medical treatment, shelter, food and clean water, and hygiene kits.

Red Cross healthcare providers are also taking appropriate action in preparation for a possible outbreak of water-borne diseases.

A Red Cross field and coordination team arrived in Pakistan late last week and is providing recovery assistance and mobilising further support.

Five Australian Red Cross aid workers are now on the ground in Pakistan assisting in the relief effort. Others are on standby to fly out to lend a hand.

The funds raised through the Pakistan Monsoon Floods Appeal 2010 are being used to:

- provide emergency relief and recovery assistance to flood-affected communities and displaced people's host families

- send specialist aid workers to assist in the initial response and assessments and ongoing relief and recovery operations in Pakistan

- support Red Cross programs and the work of our Red Cross Red Crescent partners in Pakistan.

Donate now, people. This is really urgent.

(Photo: courtesy Australian Red Cross)