Japan announces $7mn emergency grant for Pakistan flood victims

Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan HAYASHI Yoshimasa on Tuesday announced that the government of Japan was planning to provide emergency assistance worth US$ 7 million to Pakistan in response to the devastating flooding nationwide.

According to a news release issued by the Japanese Embassy in Pakistan here Tuesday, the Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs said: “The epochal levels of rain and flooding have wiped away over a thousand precious lives, destroying critical infrastructure and disrupting the primary social institutions and livelihoods, adding that millions of people were left without homes and their hopes and dreams were shattered”.

“I would like to assure that the Government of Japan stands ready to support the people of Pakistan. Given the rapidly rising scale of needs, we consider it critical to extend our best support and stand available to the affected,” said WADA Mitsuhiro, Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan, while reaffirming his commitment to support Pakistan.

It is pertinent to mention here that the Government of Japan has already provided tents and plastic sheets as emergency relief goods through JICA.

Record monsoon rains and melting glaciers in Pakistan’s northern mountains have brought floods that have killed more than 1,300 people since June 14, according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

Unprecedented floods since June have already left almost a third of the country underwater.

Sindh province, with a population of 50 million, was hardest hit, getting 464% more rain than the 30-year average.