US activates flood assistance for Pakistan

The US government has decided to activate assistance for flood victims in Pakistan urgently following a global appeal for help by the government as its development-arm, USAID, assesses the scale of damage with National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).The spokesperson for US state department, Victoria Nuland told Dunya News that US has started sending food for 346,000 flood-affected and homeless Pakistanis in interior Sindh. We are also sending shelter and non-food items to reach about 5500 families besides providing medical services to about 500,000 Pakistanis, she informed. She revealed that 8000 tents, 17,000 shelter kits and food rations for 71,000 families are being provided as part of the relief effort.In response to a question, she said that this is an initial assistance as a continuation of flood assistance that US has been providing already since last year. USAID is working with partners like International Organisation for Migration, UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and World Food Programme for flood-affected people in Pakistan, she stated.The spokesperson of USAID for Pakistan, responding to Dunya News, expressed concern about the devastation caused by flooding in Pakistan. “We are ready to provide further large-scale assistance after this initial package as soon as the assessment of damage is complete and remain in constant touch with National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) of Pakistan to assess the situation.”On the other hand, Pakistani ambassador to US, Husain Haqqani also undertook hectic efforts and met US authorities following the appeal by Pakistani governments on Friday last while US special envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan is also taking keen interest to ensure early provision of flood-assistance to Pakistan.Talking to ambassador Haqqani over the phone Monday, Grossman said that US will focus on the needs of Pakistani people and the relief goods from US will start reaching flood-victims within a few days.” He expressed concern at the damage caused by floods for the second successive year and assured that the US will do its best for the relief and rehabilitation of flood victims.— contributed by Awais Saleem, Dunya News correspondent in Washington.