US to further increase relief operations in quake-hit areas

ISLAMABAD—The US military relief operations in the quake affected areas of AJK and NWFP have been accelerated and were not dependent on UN donations, CENTCOM said Tuesday.
The United States has "no plans to diminish its support of its ally, Pakistan, in its hour of need" and hopes the international community will step forward with greatly increased relief effort commitments a statement released by US Central Command (CENTCOM) said.
The CENTCOM said the humanitarian flights to Pakistan were increasing and will not be cut back regardless of whether additional donations to the United Nations relief effort are forthcoming from other countries.
CENTCOM said there were plans to further increase the number of helicopters assigned to this relief mission. An additional Marine Corps medical unit is also expected to arrive in the country by November 5.
The US government officials have been calling on international donors to boost current efforts to help Pakistan. The US Embassy in Islamabad also issued a clarification that US operations were not tied to the status of such additional funding.
The US Department of Defense currently has 24 military helicopters flying dozens of sorties daily to relief centers and villages throughout the region, following the quake which left over 2.2 million people homeless.
In the three weeks since the 7.6-magnitude earthquake hit South Asia, US helicopters have flown more than 930 sorties into quake-ravaged areas, delivering nearly 4 million pounds of supplies and evacuating more than 3,000 individuals injured in the quake.
The United States has given $3.5 million dollars in support of the airlift by the World Food Programme, which is being run by the United Nations' Humanitarian Air Service.
Within 24 hours of the Oct. 8 earthquake four US helicopters already in the country began flying to the affected areas. Two days later, the number of US aircraft had doubled, and formed the core of the growing helicopter fleet ferrying water, food and medicine into some of the hardest-hit areas of the country.
Air Force C-17 and C-130 cargo aircraft and contractor flights have been hauling much-needed relief supplies and specialized gear to sustain air operations and equipment to open roadways blocked by landslides caused by the earthquake.
The Pakistani villages of Laij Copei and Batagram have received thousands of kilograms of supplies dropped from low-flying US C-130s able to reach areas inaccessible to the helicopters.
The US Army deployed its only active Mobile Army Surgical Hospital near Muzaffarabad, Pakistan. In addition to an operating suite, it has a mobile lab, X- ray equipment, a pharmacy and cots for 60.
The US Navy has delivered tons of supplies and heavy equipment to the port of Karachi, Pakistan, with the USS Pearl Harbor alone making three trips in about a week between the Persian Gulf and Pakistan.
The USS Cleveland delivered 280 tons of supplies during the last week of October, including light trucks and generators.
The delivery also included tents, cots and blankets from Egypt and food from France.
A "SEABEE" construction battalion from the US Navy is also operating in the Muzaffarabad, after receiving heavy equipment through the port of Karachi.
The SeaBees will clear roadways and collapsed buildings, and prepare sites to establish temporary schools for children affected by the earthquake.—APP