Worst Flooding in Pakistan's History
6/08/2010 12:53:44 PM
The United Nations has said that more than four million people have now been affected by the worst flooding in Pakistan's history, with at least 1,600 left dead.
After causing huge destruction in the northwest, floodwaters have now moved down the country and submerged villages and some urban centres in Punjab and Sindh province.
The government's response is facing increasing criticism, especially after Asif Ali Zardari, the country's president, left for a visit to Europe soon after the crisis began.
Much of Pakistan's western province of Balochistan - mountainous, poor and the least populated of the country's provinces - is largely falling under the relief radar, ACT members say.
Flash floods since July 21 have severely hit three districts of Balochistan. ACT says the people of Balochistan have been left largely forgotten as government departments, media and aid agencies focus on northern areas of the country.
Pakistan’s weather service on Monday forecast widespread rain in the next four days in northeast Balochistan, among other areas.
Partners working in Pakistan, say that although government-dispatched helicopters have delivered food, water and medicines to otherwise inaccessible areas of Pakistan, that aid was insufficient. Entire Balochistan villages are submerged and hundreds of houses have been washed away.
Our Response
Our ACT Partner has distributed 500 food and shelter kits in Balochistan, Dera Ismail Khan and Khyber Paktunkwa provinces, and 750 more kits are being dispatched. However, the need is much higher. We need the support of the Australian community to ensure isolated communities are not left out of the international aid effort.
Act for Peace’s partners also providing emergency health care through a mobile health unit in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Two further mobile health units are planned. Our partners have also started identifying beneficiaries for plastic sheeting shelter and other relief. In addition, they are running workshops for other humanitarian organisations on disaster relief standards to ensure accountability to assisted people.
