Caritas Australia’s partners are responding to the devastating floods in Pakistan that have left a trail of destruction across the country, claiming the lives of more than 1,100 people.
The Pakistan government has declared a state of emergency and the United Nations estimates that around 33 million Pakistanis - one in seven people - have been affected by the flooding.
Caritas Australia’s partners are on the ground assessing communities impacted by the floods. The team are reporting that bridges have collapsed, and community infrastructure destroyed, hampering relief efforts. Thousands have lost their homes and are currently sleeping without shelter.
The most urgent needs of the communities are food, tents/ temporary shelter material, safe drinking water, mosquito nets and repellent, health services, hygiene supplies
According to Melville Fernandez, Caritas Australia’s Humanitarian Emergencies Associate Director,
“Almost all of Balochistan and Sindh, the two worst-hit provinces, are facing an unprecedented humanitarian disaster. Thousands of families are still stranded in Balochistan amid heavy rains and flash floods that swept away houses and inundated entire settlements. The province remained disconnected from the rest of the country with road and rail links cut off”, he said.
There are fears that the death toll will rise in coming days as monsoonal rains continue across the country. Over 495,000 houses have been damaged and more than 1,300 people injured while 72% of districts in Pakistan are affected by the floods.
Your support today can provide urgent assistance to communities affected by the floods through Caritas Australia’s Asia Regional Appeal.
To donate please visit - https://www.caritas.org.au/donate/emergency-appeals/pakistan-floods
Media contacts: Tom Svich 0407 916 787 / Tom.svich@caritas.org.au
