Severe flooding creates emergency situation in parts of Pakistan

Heavy monsoon rains have created serious flood situations in various parts of Pakistan.  On Monday, 4 August, heavy rains killed 30 people and destroyed thousands of homes in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) of Pakistan.  On 5 August 12 more people died due to the unrelenting rains.  Thousands of people remain displaced.  Roads have been washed away or are impassable, crops and agricultural lands are destroyed, livestock have been killed and communications are interrupted. The worst affected areas are Peshawar, Kohat, and the Khyber Agency.

Floodwater has inundated about 50 villages in the upper area of the Peshawar district, where 2,250 houses have been destroyed or severely damaged; 3,000 households are affected and more than 100 injuries have been  reported. In Khyber Agency, the flood waters have damaged 1,300 hundred houses along with standing crops, affecting 2,000-2,500 households. Sixty-five injuries have been reported.  In Kohat, more than 80 houses were destroyed, and over 100 cattle killed.  In Kankola, 80% of the houses were washed away while 1,000 houses in the Khurasan refugee camp were destroyed.   In Balochistan, 10 deaths and 500 damaged houses are reported.

Current Response:

The provincial government (NWFP) has set up a flood monitoring cell to monitor the situation and to coordinate with civil administration.  According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), in NWFP, the provincial government has established three relief camps and is in the process of setting up two more.  Four  medical camps have also been established.  The provincial government has requested 5,000 tents and 5,000 blankets. The NDMA has sent 3,000 blankets, 1,000 tents, and 2,000 plastic mats to NWFP.

The Pakistan Red Crescent Society has distributed 200 tents and 400 kits containing necessities (soap, toothpaste, etc.).   Oxfam and Catholic Relief Service (CRS) are in the process of conducting initial assessments.

ACT member Church World Service – Pakistan/Afghanistan (CWS-P/A) is currently carrying out an assessment and plans to distribute food and non-food items including tents and food packages.  A Rapid Response Fund application will follow shortly.

Any funding indication or pledge should be communicated to Jessie Kgoroeadira, ACT Finance Officer (jkg@act-intl.org).