CHARITY bosses said today they had been overwhelmed by the generosity of the Edinburgh public in donating supplies for the survivors of the south Asian earthquake.

Edinburgh Direct Aid's warehouse is now full because of the massive response to requests for winter clothes, bedding and tents.

The charity has been appealing for the public to donate vital supplies for the last two weeks, but as there is now a queue to fly goods to Pakistan, no more can be dealt with before the backlog is cleared.

The focus is now on money donations, to pay for transport and the distribution of goods which have already been donated.

Denis Rutovitz, chairman of Edinburgh Direct Aid, said the organisation was now looking for cash donations.

He added: "We have been overwhelmed by the kindness of people donating items to our charity. The public have responded very generously. We have 40 full pallets with no room in the warehouse.

"For now, it's money that's needed - money to make up a balanced aid package including food and other items better bought in Kashmir.

"One of our volunteers will be going out to Kashmir to see how the aid is being used. Right now, we are negotiating air capacity for the 40 pallets already made up and organising their delivery. When these are away - and if there is a need for the longer sea-route option - we will start collecting aid goods again.

"The climate in Pakistan is desperately cold because it's in the Himalayas and the altitude is so high. Already the temperatures at night are below freezing. The generosity of the people of Edinburgh means that some of these people will benefit from warm clothing and tents."

EDA warehouse manager Sandy Taylor added: "We are full to the roof with aid. Volunteers are working around the clock to get the aid packed into boxes so it can be flown from an RAF base in Hampshire to Kashmir.

"We are delighted at the response from the citizens of Edinburgh but we can really deal with some money donations from the public to help with transportation costs now.

"We are very grateful for the public's response to our request for aid and hope it will benefit the families who have been hit with this disaster."

Around two million people were made homeless by the by the quake on October 8, which reached 7.6 on the Richter scale.

An Edinburgh Direct Aid volunteer, Maggie Tookey, will join a party from Glasgow which is visiting Kashmir in order to check how aid and goods collected in Scotland is being distributed.

Ms Tookey added: "I'm going out tomorrow. It's more of a fact-finding trip and to test the Kashmir area to see where the Edinburgh group's aid is to be distributed and to decide how well the money is going to spent.

"This will be my first time in Kashmir. I have no idea of what conditions we will have to endure while we are out there, but I imagine access will be difficult and it will be very cold. I'm sure the conditions will be horrendous."

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