RI to send aid to Pakistan flood victims

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Wed, 08/04/2010 2:48 PM | World

The Indonesian government plans on Thursday to send a shipment of relief aid for flood victims in Pakistan.

The aid will be transported to Pakistan aboard a cargo plane, Disaster Mitigation Agency official Soetrisno said Wednesday.

A team comprising 20 health and logistics personnel will travel to Pakistan to deliver the aid, which will include 4,000 blankets, 500 cans of food, 3 tons of medicine, and 5 tons of infant food.

The government is also scheduled to dispatch an advance team comprising four members.

The advance team will report on the conditions of the flood-hit area and assess what assistance is required by flood victims, Soetrisno told Antara news agency.

The worst flooding in Pakistan’s history have affected more than 3 million people so far and the death toll has climbed to more than 1,400, a spokesman for the U.N. Children's Fund said Tuesday.

Abdul Sami Malik said 1.3 million people had been severely affected by the flooding that had been met with heavy criticism of the local government for its handling of the disaster.

Pakistani authorities are struggling to help flood victims, many of whom have lost their homes and livelihoods and say they had not received any official warnings that floods were heading their way.

Malik said aid agencies and Pakistani government officials will meet on Tuesday to determine whether they need to make an urgent international appeal for help.

Authorities are expecting the death toll to increase, as more of the heavy monsoon rains lashing the area for the past week are forecast. Pakistan's National Disaster Management Authority said more than 29,500 houses were damaged and a key trade highway to China was blocked.