Australian Government increases earthquake aid for Pakistan

Australian Government today pledged 5.5 million dollars (4.18 million US) in aid to the victims of the South Asian earthquake, up from an initial 500,000 dollar emergency relief promised at the weekend.
"We'll initially be providing an additional five million now to international aid agencies, the Red Cross, the Red Crescent, the United Nations organisations, to focus on the provision of basic shelter, food and potable water," Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said.
"These will be the immediate and most urgent needs that we can help to address."
The government would consider providing more money as the extent of the devastation became clear, he said. "I just want to emphasise that this (money) is for the time being, and we'll have a look at whether there is substantially more we can do in a practical way. "We've been very moved by the dimensions of the devastation that has taken place, particularly in Pakistan," he said.