The head of an aid appeal for flood-stricken Pakistan praised the "extraordinary" generosity of the British public after donations topped £40 million. Disasters Emergency Committee chief executive Brendan Gormley said the response was "unprecedented" after week-on-week donations soared by more than 70%. More than £19.3 million was raised over the past week after £11.2 million was raised last week and £9.5 million was raised after the appeal was first broadcast on August 5. The Disasters Emergency Committee said it had never seen such a pattern of giving in its 45-year history. Mr Gormley said: "This response really is unprecedented. Giving to all our appeals, including Haiti and the 2004 tsunami, saw huge initial donations decline steeply after the first week. We have never seen anything like this pattern of giving before. "This belies all talk of donor fatigue. Growing awareness of the sheer scale of the disaster has seen the public continue to respond to the needs of people who are in dire need of help. Their generosity has been astounding. "Sadly, for many who have yet to be reached, the situation is still at crisis point. Aid agencies are on the ground doing all they can to reach people, but support is needed for that work to continue. We cannot over-emphasise the need for more donations and the public's ongoing support if we are to continue saving lives." The Pakistan floods have so far claimed more than 1,500 lives and have directly affected more than 17 million people, the appeal said.
No comments:
Post a Comment