USAID administrator Samantha Power meets families displaced by floodwaters in Dadu, Sindh. Photo courtesy Twitter
The U.S. on Friday raised its humanitarian assistance to Pakistan by $20 million—from $30 million to $50 million—for flood relief efforts, as Islamabad moves from the rescue phase of its disaster management to relief and rehabilitation.
Last week, responding to a U.N. flash appeal for humanitarian aid, the U.S. had announced $30 million in humanitarian assistance to help the people of Pakistan tackle the devastation caused by this year’s floods. “The United States, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is providing an additional $20 million in humanitarian assistance to support the people affected by severe flooding in Pakistan,” USAID administrator Samantha Power, who has been in Pakistan to ascertain the scale of the disaster, told media.
“With these additional funds, USAID partners will continue to provide emergency relief supplies, multi-purpose cash and shelter assistance, support for livelihoods, logistics, and humanitarian response coordination systems,” she added.
According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the floods have impacted over 33 million people, killing nearly 1,400 and injuries over 12,700 others since rains commenced in mid-June. Flash floods, landslides and hill torrents have also caused extensive damage to the country’s infrastructure, partially or fully destroying over 1.7 million homes; 6,600km of roads; and an estimated 13.8 million acres of cropland.
“USAID has also deployed a Disaster Assistance Response Team—comprising disaster experts from USAID—to lead the U.S. government’s humanitarian response efforts in Pakistan … and it is assessing the damage and identifying priority needs,” Power said. “This elite team [is] coordinating with the Government of Pakistan and humanitarian partners,” she said, adding relief would prioritize water, sanitation, and hygiene assistance as a “preventative measure” to mitigate the anticipated spread of waterborne diseases.
“The United States is the single largest humanitarian donor to Pakistan,” she stressed. “We stand with communities in Pakistan during this difficult time and will continue to help them in this time of need,” she added.
During her visit to Pakistan, Power met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and discussed the humanitarian relief assistance extended by her country. According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, Sharif told her the scale of the disaster was far in excess of what Pakistan could tackle on its own, and called on the U.S. to help mobilize the international community.
Pakistan Army
Separately, according to a statement issued by the military’s media wing, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd James Austin called Chief of Army Staff Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa and appreciated the Pakistan Army’s rescue and relief efforts in flood-hit.
The statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the two officials had discussed matters of mutual interests, including regional stability and defense and security cooperation. It said Austin had expressed his grief over the devastation caused by unprecedented floods in Pakistan and offered sincere condolence to the families of victims. He also offered full support to the people of Pakistan in this trying time.
The ISPR said the defense secretary had also pledged to play his role in enhancing cooperation with Pakistan at all levels.