United Nations Radio

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) says it will provide food assistance to nearly 20 thousand people who lost homes and belongings in the earthquake that struck parts of Baluchistan province in Pakistan on Wednesday.

WFP says it plans to initially provide several hundred tons of dry food rations to affected communities. The package contains wheat flour, parcels, added oil and salt for two months. The Director of WFP's operations in Pakistan, Wolfgang Herbinger said "we need to move fast, so we're going to start distributing stocks from our warehouses in Qatar and Peshawar so we can reach the people who need it most." An earthquake of 6.4 magnitude hit Baluchistan province in Southwestern Pakistan leaving more than 170,000 people dead and many hundreds injured.

This is Donn Bobb reporting for United Nations Radio.

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