Updated 25 October 2011

Throughout August 2011, heavy monsoon rains caused widespread damage in Pakistan, primarily in the southern province of Sindh. Flood waters submerged houses, destroyed crops and forced families out of their homes and off their land.

• An estimated 5.4 million people have been affected
• Nearly 1 million homes were destroyed
• 72% of crops were lost in the worst affected areas
• 22 out of 23 districts in Sindh were flooded.

Displaced families were forced to move to make-shift settlements on higher ground across the flood-affected areas.

More than 700 villages were isolated and residents trapped after roads were washed away. Roofs of houses collapsed, resulting in injuries and deaths.

A VISIT TO THE FLOOD AFFECTED AREAS
The World Federation’s regional partner, Hussaini Foundation, dispatched volunteers to various flood affected areas of Sindh to carry out a needs assessment. They found that:

• 90% of homes were destroyed and people are displaced
• Displaced families have no access to food or clean water
• 80% of crops (rice, cotton, chillies, sugar cane, etc) have been destroyed, resulting in the loss of billions of rupees
• About 5 million people are homeless; 10% are living in Government shelters and 90% are living in roadside makeshift shelters
• Malaria, skin disease and epidemic diseases are spreading
• Hospitals are submerged in water and are unable to provide services

Photo (left):  Hospital in District Tando Mohammad Khan flooded

When volunteers visited District Badin, they reported:  “During our travelling, it was observed that people left their homes and belongings as well. They arrived at the road sides with animals and bedding materials. Badin district has been worst affected by the recent rains. People were lying on the road sides without any shelter and other necessities. Even children were without clothes. People have made up their own camp-like shelters by putting normal cloths they use in their daily life to save themselves from the sunshine.”

RELIEF EFFORTS
The World Federation donated USD $93,000 in relief aid to the affected areas of Sindh province. Working in partnership with Hussaini Foundation, we are doing everything possible to help the flood victims.

Thanks to the immediate response plan developed by Hussaini Foundation, the following aid has been distributed in the districts of Badin, Mirpurkhas, Thatta, Tando M, Khan, Matli, Umarkot, Tharparkar, Nawabshah, Dadu and Larkana:

• 7,500 family ration packs (FRP)
• 9,000 bed nets
• 30 small water pumps restored
• 400,000 aqua tablets
• Over 1,600 non-food items (NFI)

STORY OF AZRAH BIBI – BADIN DISTRICT
“We did not know where to go when the rains swept in, took away our goats and destroyed the vegetable crop we had cultivated,” said Azrah Bibi from Badin District.

Azrah Bibi and her extended family of 8 are currently camped along a roadside near the town of Badin. “We saw some people here and joined them. Some people delivered one lot of food, but there has been very little since, and it is hard to cook anyway since we have no facilities other than a fire from bits of timber and scrap,” she said.

Like many others affected by this year’s flood, Azrah Bibi and her husband were also affected by the devastating floods of August 2010 which partially damaged their home and also their rice crop.

MORE AID NEEDED
With a relief plan in place, the following aid is needed to help the displaced families through this difficult time:

Donate on The World Federation Website
 
Donate in Canada or USA, (via NASIMCO)

Donate in Europe (via CoEJ)

For more information, please email relief@world-federation.org