As severe flooding has swept across large swathes of South Asia, at least 1,200 people have died and officials in Bangladesh, India and Nepal have warned further casualties are expected.
Millions of people have been affected, with many forced into living in makeshift shelters and there has been widespread damage to farmland.
In the short term victims need food and shelter, but the threat posed by waterborne diseases also looms large.
Here are some of the ways you can help in the international relief effort:
Lobby your MP
Write to your MP and ask them to raise the issue in Parliament when it reconvenes. Ask them to ask for the UK to commit funding to the relief effort.
If you don’t know who your MP is, you can find out here.
Donate to charities
Unicef is a child focused charity with a global presence.
It maintains a Children’s Emergency Fund, which provides help for vulnerable youngsters caught up in disasters.
Oxfam is UK-based charity which has initiated an emergency response to relieve the people affected by the flooding. The organisation is providing non-food items including fleece blankets, tarpaulin sheets, hygiene kits and solar lamps. It is also working to provide food security and safe drinking water.
Its emergency response donations page can be found here.
Save the Children are also working across the three countries to provide essentials, including items to reduce the risk of water borne diseases, including purifiers, hygiene supplies and sanitary products.
Their emergency fund is taking donations here.
Volunteer
If you prefer to donate your time, you can find out how to become a volunteer with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, one of the world’s oldest humanitarian organisations, here.
