Oxfam urges more haste over Pakistan

Relief efforts to help millions of people caught up in Pakistan's flood crisis are being stepped up amid calls for immediate reconstruction work to begin.

Oxfam warned yesterday of devastating long-term consequences if billions of pounds were not diverted towards rebuilding schools, hospitals, roads and bridged in badly hit areas.

The aid organisation said that Pakistan did not have the "luxury" of waiting for the emergency phase to be over before concentrating on reconstruction.

British efforts in the region are being increased as public money continues to pour in, charities have said.

The British Red Cross said yesterday that one month into the crisis, the organisation had managed to reached more than 400,000 people with desperately needed aid as a result of donations.

Sir Nicholas Young, chief executive of the British Red Cross, said: "The delivery of aid to those in need is increasing all the time. The Red Cross Red Crescent movement alone has reached hundreds of thousands of people with desperately needed help - including food, water, shelter and medical care - and those numbers are going up by the thousand each and every day."

Government relief operations are likewise continuing. At the weekend, the Royal Air Force announced it was flying in aid for more than 3,000 families left stranded by the floods.

The government has now committed 64 million to help people in Pakistan affected by the floods.

It comes as Oxfam urged that the international community and the Pakistan authorities begin to focus on rebuilding the country.