巴基斯坦领导人视察灾区 Pakistani Leaders Tour Flood-Ravaged Areas
巴基斯坦总统扎尔达里首次视察了该国受到毁灭性洪水侵袭的地区。扎尔达里星期四飞抵南部的苏库尔市，评估洪灾造成的损失和救灾努力。
扎尔达里是从引起很大争议的欧洲之行回到巴基斯坦好几天后进行这次视察的。
巴基斯坦总理吉拉尼星期四也视察了一个洪水灾区，承诺为数百万灾民提供救济。
吉拉尼星期四飞到巴基斯坦西南部的俾路支地区，视察了灾情并且表示他的政府将尽力满足灾民对救援物资的需求。
美国加大了对巴基斯坦的救援努力，向巴基斯坦派遣了载有19架直升机的佩莱利乌号航空母舰。这些飞机将取代美国从阿富汗借调过来的6架战斗直升机。这些飞机本来在临近的阿富汗执行作战任务。
到目前为止，这场洪水造成至少1千6百人丧生，并使开伯尔-普赫图赫瓦省、旁遮普省和信德省的将近1千4百万人受到影响。
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari has made his first visit to areas of the country hit by devastating floods.
Mr. Zardari flew to the southern city of Sukkur on Thursday to assess the damage and the relief operation.
The visit comes days after he returned from a controversial trip to Europe.
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani also visited a flood-ravaged area Thursday, pledging to provide relief to millions of flood victims
He flew to the southwestern Baluchistan region where he surveyed the flood damage and said the government will do its best to meet aid needs.
The United States has stepped up its relief effort by sending the aircraft carrier USS Peleliu to Pakistan with 19 helicopters on board. They will replace the six combat helicopters that had been on loan from the U.S. war effort in neighboring Afghanistan.
The floods have killed more than 1,600 people and affected close to 14 million others in the provinces of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Sindh.