By Xinhua,
Islamabad : Pakistan dispatched two military C-130 aircraft, with relief goods on board, to the cyclone-hit Myanmar on Sunday.
The goods include tents, plastic sheets, thousands of mosquito nets, adequate medicines and water purification tablets, said a government statement.
Myanmar says that nearly 23,000 have died and 42,000 missing as the result of Nargis, the worst cyclone to hit Asia since 1991.
These relief flights also carried other urgently needed supplies for survivors of last week’s devastating cyclone, the statement said.
The United Nations has launched an appeal of 187 million U.S. dollars in aid for Myanmar. It says that as many as 1.5 million people could have been affected by the cyclone, which struck on May 3.
Ambassador of Myanmar to Pakistan Tin Oo and senior Pakistani officials attended the relief goods dispatching ceremony.
“The people of Pakistan are deeply shocked and saddened after devastating cyclone which hit Myanmar last week, resulting the loss of thousands of precious lives and valuable property,” Additional Secretary of Pakistan’s cabinet division Atta Muhammad Raja said.
He said that Prime Minister of Pakistan Syed Muhammad Yousaf Raza Gilani ordered the dispatch of relief goods in this critical time for Myanmar.
Pakistan is ready to set up fully equipped mobile hospital in the cyclone hit area of Myanmar after receiving the green signal from the authorities, he said.
Tin Oo thanked the Pakistani authorities and the people of Pakistan for assistance in this crucial time and said that Myanmar greatly regards this gesture of good will, according to the statement.