Myanmar Internet aid flows in, but no tsunami

By Ed Cropley

BANGKOK (Reuters) - International appeals for the 1.5 million survivors of Myanmar's Cyclone Nargis are cranking into top gear, although the amount of cash being pulled in is tiny compared to the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

With the Internet now a key medium for attracting donations, search engine Google gave the funding drive a massive boost by posting a direct appeal on its home page, one of the most viewed sites on the web with several hundred million hits a day.

The site clicks straight through to a donations page for Direct Relief International, a U.S. charity specialising in medical aid to victims of disasters and war, and UNICEF, the United Nations childrens agency.

A greyed-in "$100" in the page's donation boxes serves as a subtle nudge to those wanting to help victims of the worst cyclone to hit Asia since 1991, when 143,000 people were killed in neighbouring Bangladesh.

Google said it would match private donations up to a maximum of $1 million.

UNICEF is appealing for $25.5 million as part of an overall $187 million emergency aid package sought by the United Nations, and had already raised $7.8 million by Friday, Bangkok spokeswoman Shantha Bloemen said.

"Obviously, the Internet has made it much easier for people to respond quickly," she said. "They can click a few buttons online and contribute. The easier it is for people to give money, the more likely it is they will."