The British Red Cross Asia Floods Appeal has raised more than £420,000 since it was launched on 3 August, but more help is needed for the millions of people whose homes and livelihoods have been destroyed by floodwaters.Nearly 3,000 people have lost their lives across the continent, and an estimated six million have been displaced.

The scale of the disaster is massive, but the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is working in all affected countries to reduce the number of deaths from the floods and consequent disease. It will continue to work to help communities recover once the waters recede.

Appeal

The British Red Cross launched its appeal to support relief and recovery work in Bangladesh, China, India, Nepal, and Pakistan. As appeal money is donated, the Red Cross is able to begin allocating it to the different countries according to their needs and the number of people affected.

Nepal, where vast areas of crops have been decimated and infrastructure swept away, will receive £92,500 of the current appeal money, most of which will be spent on long-term recovery work. India, where more than 1,400 people have died, has been allocated £100,000. China will receive £150,000, while nearly Bangladesh is being given £100,000 from the current appeal and the Red Cross Disaster Fund.

The Red Cross is also spending £645,000 in Pakistan, which includes money from the Disaster Fund and significant grants from the Department for International Development (DfID).

Disease

The Red Cross continues to be gravely concerned about the rise in diarrhoeal diseases across the continent and has sent a specialist team to Pakistan to promote sanitation and hygiene following the disaster.

The first sanitation team flew to Pakistan on 21 July and has been working in Sindh province, one of the worst affected by floods. This week they are being replaced by a second team, which will continue their work.

The new team is led by Peter Pearce, a delegate with a wealth of experience as a Red Cross logistician.  Peter worked in Pakistan following the October 2005 earthquake and in Kenya during the floods at the end of 2006. Cathy Ayer, from Middlesborough, will provide team support, while Di Moody, from Bradford, will do hygiene promotion.

Di explained: "We are trying to prevent the spread of disease, mainly waterborne diseases, and particularly working with people who have been displaced from their homes and are living in temporary shelters.
 
"We are trying to ensure adequate sanitation facilities and improve understanding of disease such as those causing diarrhoea."