US Govt starts providing broad range assistance to flood victims

KARACHI: The Government of United States has started providing a broad range of assistance to flood affected people in Sindh.

This includes food supplies for more than 50,000 families, safe drinking water, shelter, sanitation and hygiene supplies, and basic health care.

US Agency for International Development (USAID) has also funded almost 60 trucks to deliver relief to affected areas and 1,000 plastic tarps for emergency shelter, as well as financing other efforts to coordinate relief activities.

Assistance provided by the United States will help thousands of flood-affected families attend to their immediate needs over the next few weeks," said Andrew Sisson, Director of the US Agency for International Development Mission.

Talking to provincial government officials, he said USAID-funded food packages have already reached 23,000 families in seven districts of Sindh including Badin, Mirpurkas, Tando Muhammed Khan, Tando Allah Yar, Tharparker, Umarkot and Hyderabad.

This assistance has been delivered through The International Organization for Migration.

He said as part of the US Government commitment to assisting the people of Pakistan, the United States supports long-term development in times of immediate crisis.

Local and international organizations specializing in relief work are delivering the aid.

Sisson said, in the coming days, US-funded relief supplies, including shelter materials, drinking water, sanitation and hygiene provisions will be provided through the Rural Support Programmes Network, a Pakistani non-governmental organization.

The United States is also contributing funding for 26,000 food packages to be distributed by the World Food Programme.

Moreover, the United States has also funded a mobile health unit, providing health care to affected communities in Badin.

Additional US-sponsored medical teams will begin working in many heavily flooded areas within the next several days to prevent and treat diseases typically caused by flooding.

He mentioned that following the tragic and devastating floods that began in July 2010, the United States responded immediately and generously to Pakistan's call for assistance, giving humanitarian assistance valued at approximately $600 million.

"Response from the American people has been consistent with our humanitarian values and our deep commitment to Pakistan.," The United States stands firmly committed to assisting Pakistani people in times of natural disasters, said the USAID official to Pakistan.

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2011