There Is Nothing Left.

A baby, held by his mother, is crushed between villagers fighting for bags of flour during flood relief distribution on Friday near Muzaffargarh in Punjab, Pakistan. (Getty Images)

 I was going to do a lighthearted post today but I came across these photos, and now I feel like anything other than talking about this is going to seem petty and unimportant. 

Here are some of Pakistan's flood victims.  We simply have to help them:

 

(Images courtesy of the "50 Saddest Photos from Flood Ravage in Pakistan" - TheWondrous.com)

Facts (from wikipedia):
- Over two thousand people are dead.
- Over 20 million people are suffering and homeless.
- One fifth of Pakistan's total land area is now underwater.
- Pakistani authorities have predicted that fresh rainfall is expected to trigger further waves of flooding.
- Aid agencies have warned that outbreaks of diseases such as cholera,  gastroenteritis, diarrhea, and skin due to lack of clean drinking water and sanitation are now posing a serious new risk to flood victims.
- The scale of this disaster is unprecedented, according to the United Nations.  The number of people suffering from the flooding exceeds the total of those affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, the 2005 Kashmir earthquake and the 2010 Haiti earthquake.

What You Can Do:
There are so many ways to donate.  Please check this list to find an agency that is participating in the relief efforts.  No amount is too small, and every single cent is appreciated.

Please think about the people of Pakistan.  Please put aside your religious and political views for the sake of the millions whose lives will be forever scarred by this nightmare.  These people are mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, children and babies.  They have nothing.  Except us.  Please help them.

“There is nothing left. There is nothing to eat, no place to live, it’s just water, water. The people are helping each other. There isn’t any aid from the government; there isn’t any aid from anyone else. A few helicopters came; they gave us a few things to eat, but not enough for an entire household. They brought their cameras and took photos so they could show the world they are giving aid. But there is no aid. Everyone is just surviving on the clothes on their backs. There is nothing left here."

--Hassan, flood victim at an aid camp in Nowshera
(excerpt from an article in The Toronto Star)

Thank you for caring.  Thank you for helping.  Please share this post with anyone and everyone that you think can make a difference.  Please don't forget about the people of Pakistan.  Please donate now.