AN Oxfordshire emergency team has just arrived home after a dramatic week helping victims of the Pakistan floods.

The Emergency Response Team sent out 10 experts – funded by donations from Oxfordshire supporters.

Gary Foo, 44, from Henley, where the organisation is based, led the team. He said the scale of the disaster was unimaginable.

He said: “In some places, you can just see the tops of houses and trees. The water is 40-50km wide – bigger than the English Channel.”

“It’s also very intense, because the temperature reaches more than 50C and there’s incredible humidity.

“It’s like being in a sauna in all your clothes and a blanket with someone pouring more and more water on the coals.”

The team, all unpaid volunteers, were in Pakistan for eight days, conducting rescue operations, helping local paramedics and doctors, and delivering aid.

Work was centred on Jaco- babad, in northern Sindh province, where at least 700,000 people need urgent aid.

Mr Foo, a paramedic and disaster response adviser, was also joined by his wife, Virginia.

They have helped after a number of disasters in the past, including the Pakistan earthquake in 2005 and the Haiti quake earlier this year Mr Foo said: “Every disaster is similar, but also unique. We know now these floods have affected more people than the disaster in Haiti.

“In Pakistan, there’s a lot more infection, because of the water, and certainly more drownings.”

He added: “The people of Pakistan were really friendly and went out of their way to help us.

“They may have nothing but they’re generous and invite you to share whatever they have.

“It’s the same with the local authorities – their only interest is to get aid to people.”

Mr Foo said: “The disaster is so massive, it’s difficult to put into words – it’s just gratifying to know that we have been able to help some of the people.”

The team has now received a letter from the Pakistan High Commission, praising them for their “wonderful” work.

Mr Foo said they were hoping to raise enough money to make a second visit to Pakistan and is appealing for more donations.

He added: “We’re so grateful to the people of Oxfordshire for donating. I can only ask them to please give what they can.”

rpope@oxfordmail.co.uk See justgiving.com/ helppakistanflood to donate to the Emergency Response Team’s appeal, and for more about the team, see ert-sar.org.uk