Washington ( CNN ) -- The State Department says long-term recovery and reconstruction efforts in flood-ravaged Pakistan could take `` many , many months , if not years . '' `` The sheer impact still needs to be assessed , but will certainly be staggering , '' said Dan Feldman , deputy special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan , at a press briefing on Monday . Feldman , who surveyed the destruction by helicopter last week with a congressional delegation led by Sen. John Kerry , D-Massachusetts , described the damage as `` epic and devastating . '' `` Agricultural fields , under water , '' said Feldman . `` Roads and bridges , under water ; roads continuously disrupted by water , so impossible to move people or food or supplies out ; power plants literally under water . '' Feldman said that in addition to the obvious need for immediate relief for what the United Nations describes as millions of displaced flood victims , the U.N. and other international donors will also need to focus on long-term recovery and reconstruction . `` We 're looking at ways that we can redirect already existing funds through Kerry-Lugar-Berman and others to meet the needs of flood victims as soon as possible , '' Feldman said , `` so programs for livelihood , for clinics , rebuilding schools , infrastructure that we had already planned , which can be redirected to get to flood victims as quickly as possible . '' Feldman was referring to the Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act of 2009 sponsored by Kerry , Sen. Richard Lugar , R-Indiana , and Rep. Howard Berman , D-California . The law commits $ 7.5 billion in assistance to Pakistan over five years and is earmarked for `` improving the living conditions of the people of Pakistan through strengthening democracy and the rule of law , sustainable economic development and combating terrorism and extremism , '' according to the law 's sponsors . Feldman described `` a real galvanizing moment '' last week , when greater amounts of contributions from the international community began to pour in . `` We 've seen over $ 700 million pledged , including our own $ 150 million commitment , from over 30 countries , and an additional $ 300 million in as yet undefined commitments from a range of other countries , '' he said . Feldman said U.S. helicopters have evacuated close to 8,000 people and delivered more than 1.6 million pounds of relief supplies . Deaths are still relatively low at this point , `` at about the 1,500 , 1,600 mark , '' said Feldman , but officials are concerned about communicable illnesses breaking out among the millions of displaced victims . The World Health Organization announced Sunday more than 200,000 cases of acute diarrhea have been diagnosed , and there are more than 250,000 cases of disease including scabies . Water levels remain quite high , Feldman said , though some are starting to recede . Broken dikes have aggravated flooding in some areas , he said .
Impact `` will be staggering , '' says State Department official . United States looking at ways to divert Pakistan aid to flood recovery . Official praises last week 's increase in contributions from international community .