First aid for Pakistan leaves Australia

The Australian Defense Force on Thursday began airlifting 1 million dollars (0.9 million U.S. dollars) worth of AusAID emergency relief stores to victims of the Pakistan floods.

Pakistan has been hit by its worst flood in history, with an estimated 1500 people dead and 12 million affected.

The first of two Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) C-17 Globemaster aircraft flights to Pakistan were due to depart RAAF's Amberley base in Queensland around noon (AEST) on Thursday.

Over the next week, the ADF would airlift 1 million dollars (0. 9 million U.S. dollars) worth of emergency relief including tents, tarpaulins, plastic sheeting, and water purification equipment, to help more than 10,000 affected families.

Generators, birthing kits and water containers also were being sent.

"Defense stands ready to meet Australian government direction in support of our friends in Pakistan," a statement from the ADF said.

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard on Wednesday said the opposition had agreed to the deployment of ADF assets to Pakistan.

"I want to express the support of the Australian people for the people of Pakistan in the face of the terrible floods they are enduring," Gillard said in a statement.

Source: Xinhua