WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) announced today an expansion of its ongoing humanitarian assistance for victims of flooding in Pakistan, which has included providing shelter materials, emergency food supplies and preventative medical care to curb potential disease outbreaks.

The additional $20 million brings the total financial assistance to date from the United States to $55 million. As the flood waters recede and the overall needs in Pakistan become better known, these contributions may continue to grow.

This new money will be used to expand existing programs and activities through flood-affected regions of the country, including in the south, where there has been a light humanitarian presence until now. The initial funding was used for flood assistance in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, where USAID is already working with a network of NGOs and UN agencies.

USAID continues to actively monitor the flood's path. As it moves south, the additional funding announced today will be used to expand grants to NGOs and UN Agencies to allow them to work further south, in Sindh and Baluchistan Provinces. This assistance will be provided through the international humanitarian community, as well as through an existing mechanism that provides funding to Pakistani humanitarian organizations, which have unique access to many of the flood-affected areas.

USAID's presence in Pakistan continues to grow in response to the flooding. A Disaster Assistance Response Team is on the ground and will be expanding to eleven disaster assistance experts by the end of the week.

The most effective way people can assist relief efforts is by making cash contributions to humanitarian organizations that are conducting relief operations. A list of humanitarian organizations that are accepting cash donations for flood response efforts in Pakistan can be found at www.interaction.org. Information on organizations responding to the humanitarian situation in Pakistan may be available at www.reliefweb.int .

Cash donations allow aid professionals to procure the exact items needed (often in the affected region); reduce the burden on scarce resources (such as transportation routes, staff time, warehouse space, etc); can be transferred very quickly and without transportation costs; support the economy of the disaster-stricken region; and ensure culturally, dietary, and environmentally appropriate assistance.

The United States stands ready to provide further assistance as additional needs are identified by the Government of Pakistan.

For more information about USAID and its programs around the world please visit www.usaid.gov .