The Scottish branch of the Disaster Emergency Committee (DEC) Scotland are appealing for donations to help those affected by the natural disasters that have hit East Asia in the past week.

Four million people are thought to have been caught up in devastating series of earthquakes and typhoons in the Philippines, Vietnam and Sumatra last week.

Typhoon Parma hit the Philippines on Saturday, following Typhoon Ketsana at the beginning of the week, which also affected the wider region including Vietnam.

An earthquake registering 7.6 on the Richter scale struck western Sumatra on Wednesday, followed by a significant aftershock the next day.

In total more than 1,000 people have died and more than four million have been affected, DEC Scotland said.

Douglas Hamilton, Chair of Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Scotland, said millions of people had had their lives "ripped apart" by the disasters.

"The sheer number of natural disasters to hit the region in the last week is staggering and they have ripped apart the lives of millions of people in the affected areas," he said.

"DEC member agencies in Scotland are already responding despite the appalling conditions on the ground, but we urgently need the public's help to fund our work.

"We recognise that these are difficult and uncertain times for many people in the UK too, but we have no doubt that there will still be a strong desire to help."

The money is needed to help the DEC and their partners provide food, water, blankets, clothes and emergency kits to those affected by the disasters in the Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam.

The DEC is made up of representatives from Action Aid, British Red Cross, CAFOD, CARE International UK, Christian Aid, Concern Worldwide, Help the Aged, Islamic Relief, Merlin, Oxfam, Save the Children, Tearfund and World Vision.

Donations can be made by ringing 0370 60 60 900 or at www.dec.org.uk