Storms hamper relief efforts in flood-ravaged Pakistan

SUKKUR, Pakistan - Stormy weather grounded helicopters carrying emergency supplies to Pakistan's flood-ravaged northwest Friday as the worst monsoon rains in decades brought more destruction to a nation already reeling from Islamist violence.

U.S. military personnel waiting to fly Chinooks to stranded communities in the upper reaches of the Swat Valley were frustrated by the storms, which dumped more rain on a region where thousands are living in tents or crammed into public buildings.

Over the past week, floods triggered by monsoon rains have spread from the northwest down Pakistan, killing around 1,500 people. They were faster and more destructive in the northwest, where waters were receding Friday. The floods were moving south along the River Indus, causing less damage.

Some 30,000 Pakistani soldiers are rebuilding bridges, delivering food and setting up relief camps in the northwest, which is the main battleground in the fight against al-Qaida and the Taliban. Foreign countries and the UN have donated millions of dollars.

The UN said 4 million people had been affected, 1.5 million severely, meaning their homes had been damaged or destroyed. Earlier, Nadim Ahmed, head of the National Disaster Management Authority, said 12 million people had been affected by the floods and 650,000 houses destroyed.

In a national address, Prime Minister Raza Yousuf Gilani said it was the worst flooding in Pakistan's history.

About 85 U.S. military personnel are taking part in the relief activities along with six helicopters that were flown over from Afghanistan.

Meanwhile in London, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari said Friday he's willing to consider reopening negotiations with the Taliban - a statement that came amid criticism that some elements within Pakistan remain sympathetic to the extremists.

Zardari told The Associated Press that his country never closed the door to talks with the Taliban, skirting the question of when talks could resume.

Last year, the Pakistani government struck a deal with the Taliban in the Swat Valley that gave them effective control over the region. The militants violated the agreement and moved into another region, prompting an offensive by the Pakistani army.

Although some U.S. and British politicians have suggested talking to the "enemy" may be the way to win the war, many in the U.S. administration and Pakistan's other Western allies have urged the country to continue fighting the Pakistani Taliban, not talk.