A 66-member Chinese rescue and relief team sent to provide immediate assistance to flood ravaged Pakistan returned from the Pakistani port city Karachi to Beijing by charter flight Monday, officials said.

China sent two rescue and relief missions to flood-afflicted Pakistan since the end of July when floods began taking their toll, said officials from China Southern Airlines Company Limited, which transported the team.

The return of these 66 members, including medical workers, experts from the China Earthquake Administration, rescue soldiers as well as journalists, marked the end of the two rescue missions, noted officials.

In response to the worst flooding in Pakistan's recent history, China's help included monetary assistance, urgently needed relief goods delivered directly to affected areas, a convoy of 101 trucks to the northern parts of Pakistan, two rescue and relief missions for providing medical relief to the victims, four military helicopters for carrying out rescue missions and an additional US$200 million for post-disaster reconstruction besides the previous 320 million yuan (US$47 million) worth of humanitarian supplies.

(Xinhua News Agency October 5, 2010)