Amazon and Yahoo in disaster relief fund appeal

Red Cross cash to help victims

By Tim Richardson • Get more from this author

Posted in Assault on America, 13th September 2001 10:32 GMT

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Leading Net names including Amazon and Yahoo are helping to raise cash for the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.

The charity's Web site, redcross.org, has been overwhelmed by people seeking to donate cash in the wake of the terrorist attacks in the US.

So much so, its urging people to use different methods of payment to ease the burden on its site.

On Amazon.com its usual home page has been replaced by an appeal for people to donate money to the disaster relief fund.

It reads: "All of us at Amazon.com are deeply saddened by the tragedies in New York City, Washington DC and southwestern Pennsylvania, and we extend our sympathies and condolences to those affected."

Similar messages of condolence and appeals for donations also appear Amazon's international sites.

At the time of writing Amazon customers had donated $1.8 million to the disaster relief fund.

Yahoo.com has also set up an appeal page and has so far raised $217,098 towards the appeal.

Elsewhere, the British Government's Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Web site has been replaced with emergency details and phone number because of "unprecedented demand" for news following events in the US. ®