PAKISTAN: Pakistan continues to grapple with the horror and destruction brought on by a major flood that has completely wreaked havoc across the entire country. Pakistan is appealing to the international community for further relief and assistance to combat the dire repercussions of these floods.
World join hands to help Pakistan
The US, UK, United Arab Emirates and others have stepped forward to provide aid relief for the monsoon disaster appeal put forth by Pakistan, but much more funds are needed, an interior ministry official told the BBC.
More than a thousand people have perished and millions have been displaced and displaced since June, Salman Sufi said.
He said the country’s government is doing its best to combat the crisis and alleviate the poor situation of affected Pakistanis across the country.
In the northwest of the country, thousands of people fled their homes after rivers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province burst their banks, causing powerful flash floods.
The Sindh province in the southeast has also been ravaged, with thousands displaced from their homes.
On a related note, Pakistan is all set to launch the UN ‘Flash Appeal’ for flood victims in Geneva and Islamabad on August 30 after the Shehbaz Sharif government on Thursday declared the floods a “national emergency”.
Pakistan Foreign Office (FO) Spokesperson Asim Iftikhar said on Friday, “Rescue and relief operations are facing difficulties due to washed away infrastructure.”
The spokesperson also indicated that the severity of the crisis is so huge that more international aid is necessary. “We are grateful to the UN, IFIs, and a host of our partners and friendly countries who are stepping forward with assistance. A UN Flash Appeal is also going to be launched on Tuesday, August 30 simultaneously from Geneva and Islamabad,” he said.
The UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has allocated USD 3 million to UN agencies and partners in Pakistan to respond to the floods. “This will be used for health, nutrition, food security, and water and sanitation services in flood-affected areas, focusing on the most vulnerable,” the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said.
As of yet, more people continue to bear the brunt of the tumultuous flash floods, fleeing their local regions to take shelter. The situation remains hostile and volatile, as more areas are affected, and the death toll is on the rise.
Also Read: Pakistan: One Million Affected by Worst Floods in History
