Despite the generosity of the British public, the Pakistan earthquake appeal is still desperately short of funds. With winter approaching, disaster looms. STEPHEN LEWIS reports.

THERE'S one image from earthquake-ravaged Kashmir that still haunts Julie Ryan the sight of injured survivors whose wounds were getting infected.

It illustrates how, devastating as the original earthquake was, things could still get so much worse.

The 38-year-old York hospital worker, from Welburn, was one of a 14-strong International Rescue team who had been digging through the rubble of the destroyed city of Muzaffarabad searching for survivors.

By the third day they began to look further afield. In one village, they saw injured survivors laid carefully on the ground, gangrene setting into their wounds.

"If they weren't treated, they probably won't be alive today," Julie said.

With winter coming on, the people of the devastated region face two major hazards, Julie said, disease and cold.

Even where there is water, it is contaminated. Infections such as tetanus are spreading, and medicines are urgently needed. Then there is the cold. In what is one of the most mountainous inhabited regions in the world, the winters can be bitter and the UN estimates that 1.5 million people face the prospect of a winter without shelter.

In Muzaffarabad, Julie said almost everything is gone. Ninety per cent of the city was destroyed in the earthquake including a 1,000-bed, army bases and schools.

Even where buildings are still standing, they are too dangerous to live in, because of repeated aftershocks, Julie says.

So the city's people are existing in makeshift shelters in the streets and parks. There is shock and bewilderment in surrounding mountain villages too, where the earthquake and subsequent aftershocks have caused landslides. "One man said the mountain was slipping away from him," Julie said. "He said 'how do you stop the mountain moving?'"

It is this combination of approaching winter and disease that has aid officials so worried.

They fear the death toll, put at almost 80,000 by some sources, could easily double.

Kofi Annan, secretary general of the United Nations which last week almost doubled its appeals target from £175 million to £310 million has warned of a "winter without pity" ahead for survivors.

Winter-proof tents, warm clothes and blankets are desperately needed, Madhuri Dass of Care International said. "But the greatest need is tents, tents and more tents."

The international community has been slow to respond, however. By last week the UN had received less than a third of its original £175m target in stark contrast to the generous response to the Tsunami appeal.

A donor conference in Geneva last week produced little more than "loose change", according to Oxfam."There is a three week window of opportunity before winter closes in, and we're increasingly concerned that governments are not taking this seriously enough," an Oxfam spokesman said. "This is a race against time."

There are reasons for the slow response. It has been a year of awful natural disasters from the Tsunami, to the famine in West Africa, to New Orleans. Faced with such overwhelming suffering, many people can feel helpless, said James Player, of Age Concern, York, a man who knows about charity fundraising. "People can think, 'what the hell can I do? My little bit isn't going to make any difference'."

Nevertheless, while many governments around the world have failed to give generously, Britain has been an exception. The Government has pledged £33m and ordinary British people have donated £25 million in two weeks.

Restaurant boss in £100,000 appeal

FOR Saleem Akhtar, boss of the Jinnah chain of restaurants in York, the earthquake has struck closer to home than for most.

He hails from Mirpur, not that far from Muzaffarabad and his parents still live there. They have not been directly affected by the earthquake but many of his childhood friends have. There are two friends in Muzaffarabad he is particularly worried about. Nothing has been heard from them or their children since the earthquake, he says.

Saleem said he has been touched by the generosity of visitors to his restaurant. Customers have made donations of up to £1,000, he says.

He himself will be visiting the region in January and he aims to raise £100,000 through a series of fundraising events at his restaurants and use the money to build 50 new homes for earthquake survivors. "Houses cost £2,000 to build," he said. "I will choose 50 people who would otherwise never be able to get on their feet again."

To find out about fundraising evenings, phone 01904 468202.

Updated: 09:05 Monday, October 31, 2005