The hearts and prayers of the American people continue to go out to the people of Pakistan affected by catastrophic earthquake. This was stated by the US Consul General in Karachi, Mary H. Witt, in a statement here on Monday.
She said the American helicopters, some flown by Pakistani pilots and crew, are flying relief mission from dawn to dusk, adding US technical teams are partnering with Pakistani experts in road building and reconstruction.
A team of American physicians of Pakistani origin is already on the ground assisting local medical teams, the US consul general added. It was pointed out that the American Naval vessel, USS Pearl Harbour, which arrived here on Monday with 140 tons of blankets and food items donated by the Pakistanis living in the UAE, had first anchored in Karachi on October 18 to deliver dump trucks, front-end loaders, backhoes, cargo trucks, a road grader, a forklift, a generators and other equipment and supplies. It first docked just one day after another US ship, the Northern Lights, delivered the first shipment of heavy machinery at the Karachi port. The equipment represented just a portion of up to $50 million in disaster relief pledged by the United States.
The ongoing relief efforts are already under way by the US Agency for International Development, the Department of Defence, federal agencies. The US has already deployed helicopters, medical teams, and other technical personnel and donated more than 83 tons of tents, water, blankets, medicines and other supplies.