Aid continues to pour in

Published October 19, 2005

ISLAMABAD, Oct 18: International donors continued to fly in emergency relief assistance for quake victims on Tuesday bringing the total number of foreign aircraft landings at Chaklala airbase to 118.

A Royal Air Force cargo aircraft of Japan carrying two helicopters landed here at Chaklala airbase early Tuesday.

These choppers will join the expanding fleet of helicopters engaged in relief operations.

Two cargo aircraft of the United States carrying one helicopter, one vehicle, a six-member crew and six tons of blankets also arrived here. Norway sent a cargo aircraft with 45 tons of blankets, tents and food items.

A cargo plane from Iran carrying 32 tons of blankets and tents arrived here at the airbase. A cargo aircraft of Turkey carrying 22.73 tons of tents landed at the Chaklala airbase. Similarly, a chartered plane from Dubai carrying 39 tons of tents arrived here.

A USAID chartered cargo plane carrying plastic sheets landed at the airbase while a C-70 of the Sri Lankan Air Force carrying 400 tents, one ton of tea, one ton of pulses and rice arrived here. Sri Lanka’s environment minister accompanied the relief goods.

Sources close to the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that until Tuesday evening Pakistan had received a total of 1,200 tons of relief goods, including medicines, foodstuff, drinking water, 80,000 blankets, 3,000 tents and other necessary items.

Thirty five countries have sent assistance in one form or the other. The United States, Afghanistan, Germany and Japan have provided helicopters for the huge relief operation. A Japanese medical team has set up a field hospital in Batagram and the Aga Khan Foundation has set up hospitals in Balakot and Mansehra where the injured are being provided prompt medical help. —APP