UK Ministers see flood devastation

18 August 2010

The worst could be yet to come for Pakistan, International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell said today during a visit to the country.

He made clear Britain was standing by Pakistan and announced a further allocation of British support which will help fight the spread of disease; shelter displaced families; and provide more support - including food and medical supplies - to provinces in the south of Pakistan. This means that UK aid will now benefit up to three million people affected by the floods.

Secretary of State for International Development Andrew Mitchell and Minister Without Portfolio Baroness Warsi are in Pakistan to see how UK aid is helping those affected by the flooding and to assess if further help will be needed.

Andrew Mitchell announced UK support, incorporating a number of programmes to help the particularly hard-hit areas of Punjab and Sindh, which includes:

• Tents and plastic sheeting for 15,000 families;
• Mobile clinics and other health initiatives to prevent the spread of diseases such as malaria and water-borne diseases;
• Speeding up the distribution of emergency aid;
• Working to provide food, clean water, medical supplies and shelter to an additional 375,000 people;
• Additional flights to deliver aid, including for around 280,000 people in need in inaccessible, mountainous areas in northern Pakistan.

As part of the UK's contribution, another RAF flight carrying further aid is leaving for Pakistan today.

The ministers travelled to the village of Pir Sabak, destroyed by the floods – which at their peak were five metres high - and visited a displaced persons camp where many villagers are now living.

A fifth of the country is now underwater, with more heavy rains expected.

Following the visit Andrew Mitchell will travel to New York for an emergency session of the UNGA called by Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon. Andrew Mitchell will again urge greater international help.

Speaking from Pakistan, Andrew Mitchell said:

"The people of Pakistan need help and they need it now. It is difficult to comprehend the extent of this tragedy. Nothing could have prepared me for the horrific scenes of destruction and devastation I have seen today.

"But the worst could still be to come. More heavy rains are expected, and as the River Indus rises, it threatens further damage to heavily populated areas in the south of the country.

"The additional help announced today will mean that tens of thousands of people will get food, shelter and medical help. But we need to support Pakistan for the long-term as well as giving short-term relief and I want the people of Pakistan to know the UK is standing by them."

Baroness Warsi said:

"The scenes here today are devastating and the situation is likely to worsen. I have seen for myself just what UK aid has been able to do already, and this additional allocation of aid will further help those who have been affected by this tragedy to rebuild to their lives.

"I’d like to thank the British public, who have donated over £15 million to this cause, for their continued generosity. It is vital that the international community joins us in doing everything we can to relieve the suffering of the people of Pakistan."

The support announced today – which is worth £14.5 million, confirms that in total DFID has provided £31 million and – with help from the RAF – has provided aid including:

• Five plane loads of aid carrying a total of 400 metric tonnes of aid 
• 3,500 tents and 9032 shelter kits, providing shelter for more than 62,000 people
• 24,000 water containers and 48,625 blankets 
• Help for half-a-million malnourished children and pregnant/breastfeeding women and children by providing high energy food supplements, treating severely malnourished children, and training health workers
• Providing tents to 100,000 people
• Safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene for 800,000 people via UNICEF
• Helping to deliver 100,000 hygiene kits to protect health in Sindh