5 Reasons People Are Ignoring the Worst Natural Disaster in Recent History

What if I told you there's a natural disaster underway that's affecting around 15 million people — more than the 2004 Asian tsunami, the 2005 Kashmir earthquake and this year's earthquake in Haiti combined? Thanks to massive flooding in Pakistan, that's exactly what's happening, though the crisis — which the United Nations is calling the worst natural disaster in recent history — has managed to fly under the global radar screen.

Though death rolls are fortunately less stark than some that have resulted from similar natural disasters, the impact of Pakistan's record-breaking flood is still yet to fully materialize. As food shortages and water-borne illnesses start to take their toll, it's clear that Pakistan will continue to recover from this disaster for years.

Yet compared to the massive response to the Haiti earthquake in January, the public response has been clearly — well, less generous. After the Haiti quake, nearly $1 billion was pledged within the first 10 days. It’s been over two weeks since flooding began in Pakistan, and yet donations and pledges have come to just some $100 million. What's going on? Here's a list of 5 key reasons why the international donor community has been so slow to respond this time around:

1. Donor burn-out. There’s only so much money we can give to charities per year – or so most people think, anyways. Many people were incredibly generous in the wake of Haiti’s disaster. Now that the year has worn on and the economy is still under the weather, it seems donors aren't so willing to dip into their pockets once again.

2. Media Coverage. Unlike when Haiti's quake hit, Pakistan isn't ruling the airwaves and television sets. After Haiti was struck by its January quake, breaking-news coverage quickly rallied attention, and celebrity pleas, telethons, etc. likewise mobilized funds. Without benefit concerts, daily news updates from celebrity correspondents, text message campaigns and heartbreaking video montages, Pakistan doesn't have the slightest hope of garnering the attention and money that Haiti did. Where is Pakistan’s Wyclef Jean when you need him?

3. Timing. Unlike earthquakes and tsunamis, which are sudden and singular catastrophes, floods have a prolonged and less dramatic effect on the public psyche. The flooding in Pakistan hasn’t even stopped yet — more surges still expected to come. As is the case with most floods, their impact is probably underestimated (at least initially), and meanwhile, reconstruction can’t begin right away.

There’s another aspect of timing in the works as well. The Haiti earthquake happened just around Christmas and the New Year, a time when the spirit of giving hangs in the air, annual budgets aren’t yet finalized and people are still working out how to get one more tax deduction. Perhaps fortunately, though, Pakistan's flood coincided with the holy month of Ramadan. So while the Judeo-Christian world may have sunk back in to its less-charitable routine, the season of fasting is inspiring charitable giving from Muslims around the globe. (Charity is a central principle during Ramadan — a period of time in which each person is expected to donate around 2.5% of their income.) This year, many are hoping that generosity is targeted towards relief efforts in Pakistan.

4. Proximity. At least for Americans, Haiti is right out the back door. That particular crisis literally hit closer to home — just 680 miles from Miami. Proximity to Haiti made it easier for American media to send correspondents. It also made it more likely that individuals in the U.S. had personal ties to those affected, however secondhand. Personally, I know one family that adopted a child from Haiti, a doctor who went to help with medical relief and a filmmaker who went to document the tragedy. Unfortunately, I can't say the same for Pakistan. And that feeling of proximity greatly impacts how willing we are to donate.

5. Terrorism. Even before the earthquake, it was easy for many to regard Haitians as already deeply vulnerable and sympathetic — desperately poor victims of a terrible government. Westerners, on the other hand, are less likely to reserve their pity for Pakistanis. Sure, at least a third of the population lives below the poverty line. Sure, most the population has been caught in the middle of ethnic violence, religious extremism and violent political struggle for years. But they harbor terrorists, right? Or, as Nimmi Gowrinathan writes, “There appears to be a complex formulation of political and religious requirements that must be met before the media glare focuses on a natural disaster abroad and Americans reach into their pockets.”

It's no secret that humanitarianism is a fickle and selective business, and that fact is clearly on full display here. But in tragedy there's also opportunity. When it comes to bridging the gaps of religion, politics and prejudice, there's no better place to start than by extending a hand to the victims of the flood in Pakistan.

Photo Credit: Jacob Freeze