RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s council of ministers resolved to continue sending aid to flood-stricken Pakistan, the official SPA news agency said Tuesday.
"The kingdom will spare no effort in supporting the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to cope with the damage from flooding," Information Minister Abdul Aziz Khoja said following the council’s late night meeting Monday, SPA said.
As of August 19 the country had pledged 106 million dollars (84 million euros) in aid to Pakistan, making it one of the leading suppliers of relief funds after the floods, which have killed 1,500 people and affected up to 20 million nationwide in the country’s worst ever natural disaster.
On Monday, three large Saudi military transport planes delivered a team of Saudi rescue workers from the national and border guards, and relief equipment that included boats and generators to Karachi to help with rescue operations.
Another team was scheduled to travel Tuesday.
Also Monday, a senior US official said countries worldwide have now pledged a total of more than 700 million dollars (554 million euros) towards flood relief in Pakistan.
