ActionAid appeals for support as floods ravage Pakistan
Pakistan Floods Relief
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The flood waters have washed away thousands of acres of crops, government buildings, businesses, schools, bridges, railway tracks and homes. Please give your support.
Floods caused by a week of heavy rain have killed more than 1,600 people in Pakistan's northwest, and rescuers are battling to distribute relief to tens of thousands of trapped people.
Please give generously now.
A westerly weather system moving in from Iran and Afghanistan, combined with heavy monsoon rain, caused dramatic floods in Pakistan in the past week, with the northwestern province of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) the worst hit. The Pakistani authorities believe these to be the worst floods to have hit the country in the past 80 years.
The provinces of Balochistan and Punjab are also hard-hit. Authorities estimate that four million people have been affected, with infrastructure receiving major damage. Rushing water also has washed away crops, government buildings, businesses, schools, bridges, and homes. As the floods head south, more destruction is feared. In southern Punjab at least 1.1 million acres of crops have been destroyed, and the Government of Pakistan has established 170 relief camps for 22,000 people. In Sindh Province, to the south of Punjab, rescue workers are preparing for the arrival of the flood waters, and more than 350,000 people have been evacuated from low-lying areas.
The severity of the flooding has caused enormous damage to the country’s infrastructure in both rural and urban areas. Entire settlements of mud-brick houses are reported to have been swept away, major bridges have collapsed, and some major provincial cities have been totally cut off after road and rail links were severed. The widespread disruption to the country’s communications network has meant that reaching the worst-hit areas of the country is extremely difficult.
The Government of Pakistan has requested the support of the international community to meet the needs of those affected. The Pakistani meteorological office is also forecasting heavier rain than usual during this year’s monsoon season and the country’s major rivers, including the Indus, Jhelum and Kabul, are expected to reach dangerously high levels.
ActionAid’s Response
ActionAid Pakistan works in many of the flood-affected areas, and is already providing food, personal hygiene kits and household essentials in 7 districts, with support for 4 more on the way. ActionAid will provide immediate support in terms of food, non-food items, water, sanitation, hygiene and construction of shelters in Upper Swat (union councils Matta, Kalam, Madian and Bahran). Our emergency response will also be targeted at flood affected communities of the Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa (KPK) province of Pakistan who have suffered damage to life, property and livelihood due to the heavy flash floods. We will attempt to support as many families as possible with special emphasis on reaching out to women, children, people with disabilities and elderly people. Special attention will also be given to people living with HIV and AIDS and religious minorities in the area.
Efforts will be made to cater to the needs of people who have suffered the most damages as a result of the flood. We will be implementing the project through partners and will be providing technical assistance to local partners throughout the project. ActionAid will closely monitor the project to ensure that standard emergency protocols are followed.
Just as importantly, ActionAid is already developing a framework for longer-term response, including strategies for disaster risk reduction and livelihood support. Please stand with ActionAid as we reach out to the people of Pakistan.
