QUETTA, Oct 30: Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Mohammad Aslam Raisani has appealed to the international community and aid agencies to help his government in carrying out effective relief and rehabilitation work for the people displaced by Wednesday’s earthquake.

He has set up a rehabilitation fund for the purpose.

“The international community, NGOs and philanthropists should come forward and provide maximum help for rehabilitation efforts,” he said at a press conference here on Thursday.

He said Punjab and the NWFP had offered Rs100 million and Sindh Rs70.

The chief minister said that Germany, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and other countries and European Union had offered help and cooperation.

He said the provincial government had released Rs7.5 million and members of his cabinet would donate their one month’s salary for the affected people.

Mr Raisani said that government departments would hold daily meetings to review the pace of relief work.

Home secretary Shaukat Awan told reporters that 66 injured people were airlifted on Thursday from different villages in Ziarat and admitted to hospitals.

He said that so far 155 deaths had been confirmed in Ziarat.

“Fifteen helicopters are taking part in the relief and rescue operation,” he said, adding that four C-130 planes carrying relief goods from Islamabad had arrived in Quetta while another four would land on Friday.

Mr Awan said that 3,793 tents, 6,015 blankets, 1,000 jackets and 1,150 plastic sheets had been sent to the affected areas, in addition to 1,200 tents and 1,500 blankets provided by the Provincial Disaster Management Authority.

He said the provincial food department had sent 5,400 bags of flour, sugar, rice and pulses and 10 cartons of tea to Ziarat and other affected areas.

He said that 18 medical teams and medicines worth Rs3.1 million had also been sent.

Mr Awan said the ICRC was distributing 5,000 food packets through the FC while Mercy Corps and PPHI had sent four medical teams.

He said the BRMP had provided ready-to-eat meats to about 1,800 people.

He said that coordination committees, headed by DCOs of Ziarat and Pishin districts, had been set up to ensure speedy distribution of relief goods.