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CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta is in Pakistan getting a first-hand look at the devastation that has continued since record monsoon rains caused intense flooding a month ago. He's sent notes and photos back from the road that show the extent of a crisis that most Americans could not comprehend.
"You have to be on the ground to be able to understand the report," Gupta wrote. "This is an ongoing disaster. Many think the flood has passed, but I am in an area that was dry yesterday, and completely flooded today."
Gupta also chimes in on why Americans may have been hesitant to give money to nonprofits working in Pakistan. The American Red Cross alone raised $32 million for Haiti relief through text-contribution efforts. The same campaign for Pakistan has raised only $10,000.
Gupta's theory:
I think the initial lack of attention was for a few reasons. First, it is an incredibly difficult place to get to, and to navigate once you are here -- and even worse with the floods. Also, there was no pyrotechnic event, such as an earthquake or hurricane that gets attention. It was a slow burn that became increasingly worse. Finally, geo-politically, this is a tough area for Americans to grasp, and rumors of Taliban attacking foreign aid workers did not help the situation. Unfortunately, it may make people even less likely to give.
The Washington Post's David Ignatius adds a few other arguments to the list. He believes Islamophobia may have a hand in the diminishing compassion -- he suggests that increasing our generosity could "break through the usual political barriers and resentments."
See some of Gupta's photos from Pakistan below. All photos by Danielle Dellorto/CNN.
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