After completion of the ongoing humanitarian assistance programme, the United States will also actively participate in the second phase of the rehabilitation of the victims of the earthquake and reconstruction of the damaged infrastructure, US Ambassador to Islamabad Ryan C. Crocker said in a news conference at PAF base Chaklala, on Thursday.
He said that 8th October earthquake was of incredible magnitude and response of the international community must be proportionate to the enormity of the calamity as no one country could single-handedly overcome the aftermath of such vast-scale destruction.
Crocker said that the United States had provided humanitarian assistance by aviation and logistics support, relief and medical supplies and reconstruction equipment during the past 12 days.
The US operations had not been independent but in support of Government of Pakistan's great rescue and relief efforts in the disaster-hit areas" the Ambassador clarified.
Crocker updated the newsmen about the ongoing $17 million worth humanitarian assistance programme on the occasion.
The US assistance to date included Airlift Support (a) 19 US government helicopters (b) Over 332 helicopter sorties reaching Muzaffarabad, Balakot, Jabori, Kaghan, Mansehra, Batagram, Dagar, Neelam and Jhelum vallies (c) Airlifts of 483 tonnes of international relief supplies, including tents, cots, blankets, halal meals and medical supplies (d) and evacuation of 1900 injured persons.
US RELIEF & MEDICAL SUPPLIES: (a) Over 400 US emergency management personnel, (b) Over 569 tonnes of US relief supplies including (1) Shelter materials for 67,000 people including winterised tents and durable plastic sheeting; blankets for 15,000 people (2) Mobile water-treatment units to supply safe drinking water to 20,000 people daily, water containers for 15,000 families, drinking water storage capacity for 8 communities (3) 101,760 halal meals (4) 10 emergency health kits with medical supplies to treat 100,000 people for 3 months (5) 32 tons of medical supplies, including bandages, splints, surgical supplies, drugs, IV's. Medical blankets, (6) a forward deployable preventive medicine unit to focus on health and sanitation, (7) a field hospital to be deployed to Muzaffarabad, to eventually contain advanced trauma life support and operating room, with specialists in paediatrics, obstetrics/gynaecology, orthopaedics and general surgery and emergency medical care.
RECONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT: Heavy equipment for repairing damaged roads: 13 dump trucks, 3 bulldozers, 3 front-end loading vehicles, 2 cargo trucks, 2 tractor loaders and backhoes, 1 forklift, 1 road grader, 1 generator and cement saws.
The Ambassador said that a company of US engineers is also coming to Pakistan next week to team up with the Pak Army engineers to clear the roads from landslides and other hurdles besides daily 4 to 5 US aircraft are landing at the Islamabad airport with relief goods.
Speaking on the occasion, US Rear Admiral Mike L. Fever said 19 US helicopters are making sorties from dawn to dusk and it was a good example of joint relief operation of Pakistan and US governments.
20 more helicopters are being added to the present US helicopters fleet here next week to gear up the relief supply especially the tents as winter was round the corner, he added.