NZ pledges $2m to Pakistan flood victims

The New Zealand Government is pledging $2 million in aid for Pakistan as the country begins counting the cost of wide-spread flooding.

Over 1100 people have died in the floods which have ravaged the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and left 500,000 people homeless, according to figures from the United Nations.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully said the flooding was the worst in living memory.

"Houses, roads, and bridges have also been badly damaged, and it will be some time before the full extent of the disaster can be assessed," Mr McCully said.

"It is important that New Zealand supports international efforts to provide emergency shelter, drinking water, food, and medical supplies. Health organisations are also concerned about the risk of a cholera outbreak, and it is important that aid agencies move quickly to avoid further loss of life from disease," he said.

Mr McCully said New Zealand's funding would be shared between Red Cross, United Nations relief agencies and NGOs that are already working in Pakistan.

The United Nations and the United States have both said that they would provide US$10 million dollars (NZ$13.7m) in emergency assistance. The US also provided rescue boats, water filtration units, prefabricated steel bridges and thousands of packaged meals.

- NZHERALD STAFF