The United States has announced an additional $30 million in aid for flood victims in Pakistan, according to a press release issued by the US Embassy in Islamabad on Thursday.
\nThe press release said that total funding from the US for the flood response, food security, disaster preparedness and capacity-building efforts in the country now amounts to $97m for the year.
\nUS Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome announced the additional funds during a trip to Shikarpur district where he helped distribute emergency shelters, latrines and hygiene kits to flood affectees.
\nThe press release said the new funding will expand efforts to address immediate needs, scale up assistance to the most affected communities and enable the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to reach approximately 2m people.
\n\u201cWith the additional funding, the US government, through USAID, will provide life-saving food, nutrition, and health assistance to mitigate increased food insecurity and malnutrition resulting from the impact of the floods, as well as curb the rise of diseases resulting from stagnant flood waters.
\n\u201cThe new funding will also provide shelter supplies to help families rebuild as well as winterisation kits to help families prepare as cold weather approaches. And because women and girls are disproportionately impacted by natural disasters, like flooding, the US is providing increased protection support to prevent gender-based violence as well as provide support for survivors.
\n\u201cFinally, logistics support to partners will help accelerate the delivery of relief assistance to those in need,\u201d the press release reads.
\nForeign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari expressed his gratitude to the US for its \u201cconsistent support in this difficult time\u201d.
\nHe said assisting the flood victims across the country was still the \u201csingle most important issue\u201d today.
\nAn Oxfam report released on Monday notes that the catastrophic flooding in Pakistan this year directly affected at least 33m people and costs were estimated at over $30 billion. Yet the UN humanitarian appeal for the floods is set at only $472.3m (just over one per cent of what is needed), and only 19pc funded.
\nThe flood response is not considered to be anywhere near enough to help millions of people who have lost their livelihoods and homes and face hunger, disease and psychological impacts, says the report, prepared by a group of more than 100 researchers, activists and policymakers around the globe.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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