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-- U.S. Government Assistance Now $2.5 Million --

WASHINGTON, Nov. 3 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is providing an additional $1.5 million in emergency assistance in the aftermath of last week's earthquake in Balochistan province in Pakistan. This brings the total USAID emergency assistance package to $2.5 million to date.

USAID committed $1 million of the $2.5 million to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The ICRC is providing emergency assistance, including emergency health care, shelter, relief commodities, and water and sanitation interventions, for earthquake-affected populations.

Through its international and non-governmental partners, USAID is distributing much needed relief commodities in Balochistan province. On November 3, the first trucks transporting USAID-funded plastic sheeting for the construction of temporary shelters arrived in Quetta. This plastic sheeting will be distributed to affected villages in Ziarat District, and additional USAID-funded plastic sheeting will be distributed over the next three days.

In addition to providing funding and in-kind assistance to meet immediate needs, USAID has also deployed a four-member Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) to Pakistan. The team is on the ground in Pakistan working in coordination with local officials and the international community to provide aid to those in need.

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the Government of Pakistan's National Disaster Management Authority has reported that the earthquake affected 35,600 individuals in Ziarat and Pashin districts.

This emergency assistance is in addition to the over $2 billion the U.S. has provided for development programs in Pakistan to improve health, education, economic growth, democratic governance and to reconstruct areas affected by the October 2005 earthquake.
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