U.N. envoy: Financial response to Pakistan flooding 'far from enough' (up to 800,000 more displaced)

[Turborama]

Source: CNN International

By the CNN Wire Staff --
September 4, 2010 --

STORY HIGHLIGHTS
* NEW: The death toll rises to 1,738
* 600,000 to 800,000 have been displaced by new flooding in recent days
* At least 17 million people are affected
* 1 million have crippling diarrhea or respiratory infections

A United Nations representative on Saturday pleaded for more international aid to help the millions of Pakistanis displaced from flooding that has ravaged the country for more than a month. "We still have millions of people out of their houses," said Jean-Maurice Ripert, the U.N.'s special envoy for assistance to Pakistan. "We have hundreds of thousands of people that we have to feed, take care of on a daily basis."

Ripert said that while the international community has given more than $1 billion in relief, "it's far from enough. We need more money, we need more response," Ripert said, "and the U.N. ... certainly is launching a new appeal. We need your help. We need the help of the countries for emergency needs, for food, shelters, water purification. We need planes to bring the goods in Pakistan and to distribute them into Pakistan. We need teams to operate medical facilities. We need everything."

The death toll has climbed to 1,738, the Pakistan Disaster Authority said Saturday. Officials said this week that 17 million have been affected nationwide. The death toll is expected to rise significantly as flood waters continue to recede and more bodies surface. But the nightmare isn't over for the survivors. Water-borne illnesses from contaminated flood waters have erupted nationwide. At least 1 million Pakistanis have crippling diarrhea or respiratory infections. About 65,000 cases of malaria have been reported.

Meanwhile, 600,000 to 800,000 people have been displaced over the past four days after fresh flooding in Dadu in Pakistan's Sindh province, Maurizio Giuliano, spokesman for the U.N.'s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said Saturday. The areas of Mehr Tehsil, Kher pur Nathanshah and Johi were under water. "In the town of Johi, an estimated 150,000 people are without any assistance along the road," Giuliano said.

Read more: http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/09/04/pakistan.floods/index.html?hpt=T2#fbid=5tFS21of5oJ&wom=false

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For comprehensive coverage of what's been going on in Pakistan since the floods began, check out my journal - even the archives are quite recent: http://journals.democraticunderground.com/Turborama

[L0oniX]

1. US pledged about 150 million in disaster aid but continues to give them 200 million a month...

in military aid. WTF Clearly you can see where the beef is and that pledge means about as much as the 2% of the pledge that Haiti has received so far. It's a fucking dog and pony show. I heard about this so called aid on Democracy Now a few days ago.

[cosmicone]

2. Divert all military aid for humanitarian causes

Pakistan's military is bloated enough with high tech and expensive weapons Pakistan does not need. Divert all military aid and send food, medicines, water purification equipment, temporary housing etc. instead. It's a no brainer.

[Turborama]

3. UN Needs Far More Money for Pakistan Floods

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: September 6, 2010

Filed at 8:21 a.m. ET

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) -- The United Nations says it needs hundreds of millions of dollars in new donations to get food, water, medicine and shelter to Pakistanis hit by flooding.

The U.N. is preparing to ask member nations to give an amount that will be at least double the $460 million it requested last month at the start of the flooding, said Jean-Maurice Ripert, the U.N. secretary-general's special envoy for assistance to Pakistan.

The U.N. has received $310 million toward the initial appeal, although private and bilateral donations bring the global total committed for Pakistan flood aid to roughly $1.1 billion.

Some 8 million to 10 million people remain in need of some sort of daily assistance, out of a total of 18.7 million affected by the flooding, Ripert said.

From: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/09/06/world/AP-AS-Pakistan-Floods.html?ref=global-home