LONDON, Oct 22: Britain sent the first of three giant helicopters to Pakistan on Saturday to help in the relief effort following the massive earthquake that devastated parts of south Asia nearly two weeks ago.

Britain’s Defence Secretary John Reid said the Chinook helicopters will be used to fly aid to survivors of the earthquake who are cut off because of landslides in the mountainous terrain.

There are reports from Pakistan that some villages have been clearing areas for helicopters to land in a desperate bid to encourage airborne relief.

Latest estimates are that more than 2,000 villages have yet to be reached by rescue teams.

The Chinook will be loaded onto a Royal Air Force transport plane and flown to Pakistan’s capital Islamabad.

A further two Chinooks, which can carry up to 54 people or 10 tonnes of freight, will leave Britain on Sunday.

Talking on BBC Radio Reid defended Britain’s response to the quake which has killed at about 50,000 people.

He said there were logistical problems which had to be overcome before the aircraft could be sent to the region for deployment.

“When something like this happens we try and do our best to make sure we respond at a national level.”—Reuters