Cost of flood damage expected to be billions of dollars
In a rare expression of goodwill between feuding neighbours, India has given Pakistan $5.2 million in aid for flood victims. The flooding, which began on July 29 after heavy monsoon rains, has affected one-fifth of Pakistan’s territory. At least six million people are homeless, and the cost of flood damage is expected to run into the billions of dollars. Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi told India’s NDTV that the government had accepted the money from India, though it took several days for Islamabad to reach the decision in light of the countries’ poor relationship. India also provided aid to Pakistan after the 2006 Kashmir earthquake that killed more than 70,000 people.