The estimate of the number of Pakistanis left homeless by massive flooding has doubled to 4 million, the United Nations said Thursday, as Washington ramped up assistance.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced an additional $60 million in U.S. aid, bringing to $150 million the amount pledged by the United States.

“The flooding has already affected more people than the Indian Ocean tsunami, the Haiti earthquake and the 2005 Pakistan earthquake combined,” she told a plenary session at the United Nations. “And as we meet, we fear that a new wave of water may be about to sweep through areas that have already been devastated by the floods.”

She added, “We see 20 million members of the human family in desperate need of help. This is a defining moment — for Pakistan, and for all of us.

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Pakistan flood: Before and after “I want the people of Pakistan to know: The United States will be with you through this crisis. We will be with you as the rivers rise and fall. We will be with you as you replant your fields and repair your roads. And we will be with you as you meet the long-term challenge to build a stronger nation and a better future for your families.”

She predicted the situation will worsen before getting better. “More than 800,000 houses have been damaged or destroyed; 2 million people have been forced to flee their homes; hundreds of bridges have been washed away, cutting off communities from relief supplies,” she said.
 

– CNN.COM