Quake disaster focus shifts from rescue to aid relief
Australia said today that it has offered to help transport aid to quake-hit areas of Pakistan, but that so far Islamabad has only accepted its financial assistance.
Australia almost doubled its pledge of assistance to 7.6million Australian dollars (€4.8m) on Tuesday, but Prime Minister John Howard said his government was prepared to do more as the estimated death toll from Saturday’s 7.6-magnitude earthquake exceeded 35,000.
“We offered them transport, but so far, the offers of financial assistance have been the ones that have been picked up,” Howard told reporters.
“We have offered other support, and anything further that the Pakistanis can take, we will make available,” he added.
Howard did not provide details of the transport offer.
Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said on Tuesday that financial assistance was most appropriate because of the distance and time involved in sending transport and logistical support from Australia.
Prime Minister Tony Blair yesterday announced a £10m (€14.6m) increase in Britain’s aid.
Blair said the increase in relief aid was in addition to the £2m (€2.9m) worth of assistance already promised.
Rescue efforts have given way to aid relief, as hopes fade of finding more survivors five days after the most devastating earthquake in Pakistan’s history.
But still, emergency supplies have yet to reach remote regions of the most devastated area in Pakistani-controlled Kashmir.
Howard said he was not surprised by the dire circumstances that many Pakistanis were still experiencing.
“No matter what the accumulated international good will is, if you have poor infrastructure, it’s always very hard to get assistance through,” Howard said.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice promised long-term US help for Pakistan after meeting with the country’s leaders in Islamabad yesterday at the end of a tour to Central Asia and Afghanistan.
“The US has, as many parts of the world have, been through natural disasters,” she said. “This is one of epic proportions. I want the people of Pakistan to know that our thoughts are with you. … We will be with you not just today but tomorrow.”
Rice predicted more US earthquake aid for Pakistan beyond an initial $50m (€41.6m) but gave no specific figures or timeline.
The United Nations estimates four million people have been affected by the earthquake, including two million left homeless.
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