Graphic: Church World Service
Eighty thousand have already died; 3 million people are homeless. The Himalayan disaster is approaching the scale of horror reached by last year's tsunami (300,000 dead).
Oxfam warns:
Meanwhile in the US, via Juan Cole*:The thousands of people living in remote villages are in serious danger - especially once the snows come - but the plight of those who are living in camps has not received the same attention. Unless conditions are improved in these camps, diseases like cholera could spread like wildfire. If disease does break out in the camps, the number of deaths could far exceed those in danger in their villages.
Those of us who can need to contribute now. Two good agencies with strong ties in the region are: I've given repeatedly. Please leave a comment if you have -- tell readers what agency you chose.A [congressional] staffer writes:
So far, the US has only given $50 million and pledged another $150 million. USAID has only $10 million left in their budget, after that US assistance will run out of funding. Today, the President instructed five Fortune 500 CEOs to travel to Pakistan. They will be doing fact finding and help with private donations. Unfortunately, with all the hurricanes (Katrina, Rita, Wilma, etc) there is "disaster fatigue" in the US Congress.
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