Pakistan floods response

Torrential monsoonal rains flooded over one fifth of Pakistan in 2010, affecting over 20 million people. Even as Pakistan was beginning to recover, further flooding in 2011 severely affected another 9 million people, left 700,000 homeless and damaged nearly 1.6 million homes and 4.2 million acres of agriculture land. 

Caritas' response

“The Caritas network was already working on flood prevention and rehabilitation projects in the immediate area. This was greatly supported by the community and enabled the Caritas network to rapidly respond to their needs,” said Melville Fernandez, Group Leader – Humanitarian and Emergencies, Caritas Australia. 

“However as this again is a crisis situation, there is a long way to go. And with the situation worsening daily, we require the Australian public’s support again to assist the people of Pakistan. We are always humbled by the generosity bestowed by the general public and take pride in ensuring your support reaches those communities that need it most,” said Mr Fernandez.

Caritas Australia is involved in the delivery of food, water, sanitation, hygiene and health programs; the reconstruction of communities and the rehabilitation of lives through psychosocial support and the protection of women and children, to those affected by flooding in Pakistan. 

Some of the programs supported by Caritas Australia include:  

• Access to food, shelter, blankets, cookware and medical assistance for 300,000 people. 
• Water, sanitation and hygiene facilities for 2,160 households. 
• Shelter for 500 families.
• Malnutrition and disease prevention initiatives. 
• The provision of child-friendly spaces to alleviate trauma among children in refugee camps. 
• Disaster risk reduction and management initiatives 
• Sustainable livelihoods training.

Background

The 2010 floods were the worst seen in Pakistan in 40 years, covering one fifth of the country and killing over 2,000 people. Torrential rains in August and September 2011 compounded the severity of the situation, killing a further 226 and forcing 300,000 more to seek refuge in emergency shelters. 

Today thousands more people continue to have no access to food, shelter or medical support. 

 “There is an urgent need to help the millions of people affected by these floods. It’s a double tragedy as only last year some of the worst flooding in living memory overwhelmed huge swathes of the country. Again, the poorest and most vulnerable have been affected and they need our support. The 2011 floods underline the need to prepare and protect communities from future flooding,” said Michel Roy, Secretary General for Caritas Internationalis.

Story from the field

The village of Sattar Dino was completely destroyed during the floods of 2010. Of the 80 homes that stood prior to the floods, only two withstood the damage. Many of the animals perished and the farm land was ruined. For the 560 people who live here, the floods of summer 2010 devastated their lives. 

“This was a prosperous community,” recalls 55-year-old Ghulam Nabi. “We had proper houses, animals and land, but we had to leave when the floods came and when we returned the village was destroyed. We had to move far away and live in tents for four months while we waited for the water to go down. We were very happy to get that shelter, but it was a very sad time.” 

With the support of Australian communities, Caritas partners in Pakistan helped families return to their villages, rebuilding homes, water pumps and sanitation facilities. Today, the people of Sattar Dino have houses, fresh water and latrines.