Bugti, Harneis discuss damages caused by floods in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, August 19: Federal Minister for Narcotics Control NawabzadaShazainBugti on Friday met with United Nations (UN) Coordinator Julien Harneis to discuss about the damages caused by floods in different areas of Pakistan.
In a meeting, the minister informed him about the flood disasters in different areas of Pakistan, especially Balochistan, said a press release. He said so far, more than five hundred people have died in Balochistan due to storms and floods. “Thousands of people have become homeless and their properties have been destroyed by floods.”
The minister also praised UN efforts to help flood victims. “A comprehensive plan is being prepared for the relief and rehabilitation of flood victims. I will do all-out efforts for the rehabilitation of affected areas of Balochistan.
The federal government will soon assess the damage caused by floods and speed up the relief activities with help of international organizations. The United Nations was arranging US$ Six million in immediate aid to be used for food, medicine and prevention of other infectious diseases in Balochistan.
UN will also provide additional technical support to National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA). In addition, UN will cooperate for more assistance from the Asian Development Bank and other countries for the flood victims, he said.
He said apart from this, assistance of Rs 30,000 was also being given to the flood victims. The federal government and UN will immediately provide more than five billion for the rehabilitation of the flood victims. US$ One million was also being given immediately to the World Health Organization while vaccination is also being arranged for cattle, he said. -DNA