More than a million people are in "acute need"

The appeal aims to cover priority needs for the next six months including winter shelter equipment, food, medicines and transport.

More than a million people are in "acute need" of assistance in the quake zone, the UN says.

Governments and other organisations have already promised hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to Pakistan.

And international and other charities have launched major disaster appeals.

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has expressed his "profound sadness" at the devastation, but added that he was "greatly encouraged to see the rapid and large response by the international community".

Major donors

The Gulf states of Kuwait and UAE have pledged $100m each for emergency relief and reconstruction in their fellow Muslim nation, while the US has promised an initial $50m.

LARGE AID PLEDGES Kuwait: $100m UAE: $100m US: $50m Canada: $20m Japan: $20m World Bank: $20m Asian Development Bank: $10m Australia: $7.6m China: $6.2m EU: $4.4m UK: $3.5m South Korea: $3m

The Asian Development Bank said it would offer $10m, reallocated from existing projects, for immediate assistance for the worst-affected areas, while the World Bank has pledged $20m.

Other large donors include Japan ($20m), Canada ($20m), Australia ($7.6m), China ($6.2m), the European Union ($4.4m), Britain ($3.5m) and South Korea ($3m).

On the ground, UN agencies including the World Food Programme, World Health Organisation and Unicef are already delivering aid, along with numerous charities.

Specialist rescue teams have been sent by Britain, France, China and Turkey.

And eight US military helicopters diverted from operations in Afghanistan are being used to ferry aid and evacuate the wounded.

Nato is preparing to offer troops, aircraft and humanitarian aid to Pakistan.

Peace process

India is preparing to fly 26 tonnes of relief supplies to aid earthquake victims in Pakistan, a move seen as adding fresh impetus to the peace process between the two nations.

HOW TO DONATE Unicef www.unicef.org World Food Programme www.wfp.org Disasters Emergency Committee www.dec.org.uk Kashmir International Relief Fund www.kirf.org Red Cross/ Red Crescent www.ifrc.org

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said his country had offered to send Pakistan whatever aid it needed.

Another close neighbour, Afghanistan, itself a major recipient of international aid, has sent four military helicopters and a plane carrying four tonnes of medicine and 20 tonnes of dried food, along with aid teams including 34 doctors and nurses.

Bangladesh, one of the world's poorest countries, has promised to send 20,000 blankets, clothes and medicine.