International News

Flood In Pakistan

Author : Bozhou Marine

Update time : 2022-09-02 13:55:38

An estimated 33 million people have been affected by "the worst flooding in decades" since heavy rains began to hit the country in mid-June, and more than 1,000 people have died, including large Some are children.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres launched the six-month appeal simultaneously in Islamabad and Geneva in a video message. "Pakistan is suffering," he said.

"The people of Pakistan are facing a steroid-like monsoon with epoch-making rains and floods unrelentingly impacted."

On-site Inspection Of The Disaster

The Secretary-General will travel to Pakistan next week to show solidarity with the country.

He is expected to arrive in Islamabad on Friday, September 9, before heading to the areas worst affected by the unprecedented climate catastrophe.

Guterres will meet displaced families and inspect how the United Nations is working with humanitarian partners to support the government's relief efforts.

Half a million people displaced by the floods "have taken refuge in relief camps, nearly a million homes have been damaged, and more than 700,000 livestock have died," Lalke said.

The severe impact on infrastructure has also exacerbated the humanitarian situation. He said nearly 3,500 kilometers of roads and 150 bridges had been damaged, preventing people from fleeing to safer areas and affecting the delivery of aid to millions of people in need.

Three Key Goals

The emergency aid package launched by the United Nations today focuses on three key goals. First, provide life- and livelihood-saving assistance, such as sanitation services, food, clean water and shelter, Larke said.

Second, preventing large outbreaks of infectious diseases such as cholera and helping young children and their mothers get nutrition.

The third goal is to ensure "people have access to assistance and protection, including finding family members, in a safe and dignified manner.

UNHCR spokesman Saltmarsh told reporters in Geneva that the agency's response so far has focused on "delivering emergency relief items to affected areas, including items needed to set up shelters, as well as stoves, blankets and solar energy. lights etc.

"So far, we've delivered $1.5 million worth of aid, but in the coming weeks and over the medium term, more will be needed, including development assistance."

Devastating Effect

Pakistan has experienced severe monsoon weather since June, with rainfall in that month alone being 67% above normal, the OCHA said. As of August 27, rainfall across the country was equivalent to 2.9 times the average rainfall over the past 30 years.

To date, 72 areas in Pakistan have been declared "disaster areas" by the government. The number of affected areas is expected to increase as the rainfall continues.

"When we hear about floods, we usually just think of people drowning, but it's more than that," said Lindmeier, a spokesman for the World Health Organization. "You'll get hit by debris floating in the water. You'll be electrocuted by electrical wires. You will have a lack of drinking water," which "is not only a problem of the current situation, but also the situation in the medium term".

A WHO spokesman also warned that "at least 888 health facilities were severely affected, of which 180 were completely destroyed".

180 Degree Weather Shift

Despite its very low carbon footprint, Pakistan is among the 10 countries most affected by extreme weather events, according to the 2021 Global Climate Risk Index and Climate Watch.

WMO spokesman Nulis said the deadly floods were "the footprint of climate change, which is becoming more extreme". She warned that Pakistan "was in the midst of a devastating heatwave and drought" in March and April this year, and now "there is a 180-degree turn".

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