Brussels, AUG 28 /DNA/ – Pakistan’s Ambassador to the European Union, Belgium and Luxembourg, Dr. Asad Majeed Khan convened a meeting of the leading Pakistani community members based in Belgium at the chancery, today. The purpose of the meeting was to brief the Pakistani diaspora  on the situation resulting from flash floods across the country and to coordinate the provision of relief assistance from Belgium for the flood affected population. 

While underscoring that the ongoing rains have caused unprecedented damage and devastation in Pakistan, the Ambassador indicated that more than 1033 people including 348 children had lost their lives and 1,527 people got injured including 355 children.

Ambassador Khan underlined that over 33 million people have been badly affected by the floods and losses could be much more than the 2010 floods.   He explained that as per the initial assesments almost 3451.5 km of roads, 149 bridges, 949,858 houses have been destroyed and 719,558 livestock have been lost due to the heavy rains in 116 affected districts, including 66 districts officially declared ‘calamity hit’ across Pakistan.

The Ambassador highlighted that massive relief operation is underway in the country with National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Armed Forces, civil society, philanthropists and welfare organization working hard to reach out to the stranded people with direly needed supplies.

Ambassador Khan mentioned that given the scale of the challenge, the Government has decided to reach out to the friendly countries, donors and the international financial institutions for their support and cooperation at this difficult time.  He appealed to the community members to join hands with the government to save lives and provide much needed supplies including food, water, medications and tents to help fellow Pakistanis.

While apprising the community  about the establishment of Prime Minister relief fund for assistance of the flood-affected people, the Ambassador highlighted the procedure for  channelizing donations for flood victims through the recently released IBAN numbers by the State Bank of Pakistan.

Speaking on the occasion, the community notables expressed condolences and sympathies on the loss of precious lives and damage to infrastructure in the floods. They assured the Ambassador of their support to meet the requirements of rescue and relief operations across the country and agreed to further mobilize the community to raise resources for meeting those requirements.

ISLAMABAD, AUG 28 /DNA/ – Federal Minister for Climate Change Senator Sherry Rehman stressed that the number of flood-affected population may rise from 33 million as the monster flood continues.

“The humanitarian action is right now being led by the Government and supported by United Nations and other humanitarian agencies. 1033 people have lost their lives and more than 1500 have been injured. Kabul River is still at a VERY HIGH Flood level at Nowshera as the water has crossed 300,000 cusecs which is why residents in some areas have not been allowed to come back to their homes. Water levels in River Indus at Taunsa, Sukkur and Chashma are at HIGH Flood level as it crossed 500,000 cusecs while Guddu and Kotri are in Medium Flood level. Rains have disrupted the essential communications systems which are now being rebuilt by NHA and others. Kalam has received most rains at 41.5mm and Bagrot in Gilgit Baltistan has received up to 21mm. More rains are expected in the northern part of AJK, KP and Balochistan. As the rain has abated in some areas, the NDMA and Pak Army have increased their helicopter sorties for rescue. Pak Navy has also been deployed on a terrain it would not normally operate its boats.”

EAD and other Ministries are working around the clock with about 35 multilateral and bilateral donors to assess needs and bridge gaps in relief efforts. Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) has started rolling out PKR 25,000 relief tranches of PKR 35 billion for the most vulnerable. 218,112 beneficiaries have been provided with immediate cash assistance. The Government is providing PKR 1 million (US$4,615) in ex-gratia compensation to the next of kin of families who have lost their loved ones and PKR 250,000 (US$1,154) to those who have been injured. PKR 500,000 (US$2,308) is being provided for fully destroyed houses and PKR 250,000 (US$1,154) for partially destroyed houses. However, hygiene kits, waterproof tents are still short on the ground for stranded families. Many are being housed in empty schools as the ground is too wet. Just as we battled with relentless rains in the South of Pakistan in over 72 calamity-hit districts, the Indus river flooding from the north has increased the number of calamity-hit districts as reports of floods in Gilgit Baltistan have come in as well. It’s really a perfect storm”, Minister Rehman said.

“It is unfortunate that a time of national emergency the opposition leadership and rank and file is busy scoring points instead of helping those in need. From social media activists who are urging local and international donors to not assist Pakistan’s vulnerable people and over 33 million affected, the toxic discourse of the PTI continues to compromise Pakistan’s relief efforts. This is highly irresponsible behaviour at a time when the country is reeling from shocks like never seen before.”

DNA

ISLAMABAD, AUG 28: Millions of people hit by the worst floods in Pakistan’s history of six decades need huge humanitarian aid in terms of food and non-food items, tents, toilets, hygiene kits, sanitary pads, and cash for quick response, rescue and recovery. Pakistan also needs trained humanitarian workers with global expertise to bring people out of trauma and flood waters and help them rebuild. 

This was the crux of a discussion over twitter space organized by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) wherein experts with humanitarian background highlighted a number of policy options for adequate response, recovery and rehabilitation plan. Speaking at the occasion, Executive Director of the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) Dr Abid Qaiyum Suleri, said when losses are more than the 2010 floods, a bigger response and recovery plan backed by adequate resources should be made leaving aside political differences and considerations. He said that the damages will result into livelihood losses and food insecurity. He said BISP is a great cash disbursement programme as social safety net. Those who are not registered, they could be taken on board and cash transfer should start as soon as possible so that people start returning to normalcy and markets are up and running. 

Head of Pakistan Humanitarian Forum Syed Shahid Kazmi said that we need to prioritize providing cooked food, nutritious dry food items, drinking water, medical camps, fodder and other veterinary services for livestock, de-watering, mosquito nets and shelters with temporary toilets. He said under such circumstances, there is a need to provide women and children safe spaces to protect them against violence. He hoped that once the UN flash appeal will be launched, much of humanitarian funding will come to Pakistan which may be helpful in protecting people from hunger and diseases. 

A leading expert on Disaster Management, Syed Waqar Shirazi gave a situation overview on the impacts of floods calling for a real time assessment of the losses and damages and impacts on the people and infrastructure. He said only in three districts- Dera Ismail Khan, Dera Ghazi Khan and Tanks 70 to 85% area submerged and caused massive destruction. He said power and telephone signals were cut in the flood hit areas which hampered rescue work. The floods damaged standing crops such as rice, sugarcane and cotton; and seeds for future crops were also washed away. He warned against ensuing epidemics as a result of standing water. Shirazi said this is the result of disallowing humanitarian INGOs to operate in the country that now we have shortage of trained humanitarian workers with global experience. 

Humanitarian policy specialist and Research Fellow Resilient Development Programme at the SDPI, Dr Shafqat Munir Ahmad said had we learnt lesson from the 2010 onwards floods, we would have built safe spaces and raised platforms to protect people and their belongings. He said that we need to update national, provincial, and district levels development plans making them risk-sensitive. We need to align disaster risk reduction (DRR) policies with the commitments under Sendai Framework on DRR. He said unprecedented monsoon will continue to occur ostensibly linked to climate change, so we have to put in place proper preparedness and DRR plans at community level. He called for allowing global humanitarian actors to restart their operations on a long-term basis by providing them enabling environment. Disallowing INGOs on security concern could be valid but their absence has created a grave and continued human security issue. We have to rethink, he added. 

Writer and Environmentalist Zofeen T. Ebrahim said that youth have a passion to support the flood victims but they are not trained in humanitarian work which causes a trouble in reaching out to the people. She called for providing cooked food and tents to give immediate relief to the floods affected population. She also expressed the opinion that banning humanitarian INGs was not a good decision as they used to train our human resources in handling emergencies. 

Senior developmental journalist, Moazzam S Bhatti was of the opinion that media can play a great role provided it is given access to assessment data. Appeals through media always draw funds and humanitarian support from general masses and philanthropists. Climate scientist Dr Fahad Saeed gave a suggestion that Pakistan should build its case at the forthcoming COP27 in Egypt based on scientifically tested data that the losses incurred in floods are related to climate change so that the country can access to climate fund set aside for this purpose. He said heatwaves and floods impact the communities largely and there is a need to protect the people through strong early warning, preparedness, and adaptation measures. 

Senior Water expert of WWF, Dr Imran Khalid said that the areas submerged are prone to such incidents in future as well so there is a need to build safety bunds to protect people and livestock, and build reservoirs to harvest rainwater. He called for urgent action to make communities resilient against such shocks as their resilience has been marred due to multiple crises. Many other participants hailing from various parts of the country gave their opinions and suggestions to provide relief to the flood affected people and to rebuild their lives and livelihoods sustainably. They called for providing credible channels through which people can send their donations for the flood hit people.

ISLAMABAD, AUG 28 (DNA) — The death toll from monsoon flooding in Pakistan since June has reached 1,033, according to figures released Sunday by the country’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

It said 119 people had died in the previous 24 hours as heavy rains continued to lash parts of the country. The annual monsoon is essential for irrigating crops and replenishing lakes and dams across the subcontinent, but each year it also brings a wave of destruction.

Officials say this year’s monsoon flooding has affected more than 33 million people — one in seven Pakistanis, about 15 percent of the population — destroying or badly damaging nearly a million homes.

The NDMA said more than two million acres of cultivated crops have been wiped out, 3,451 kilometres of roads destroyed, and 149 bridges washed away. According to the NDMA’s data, 1,033 people died while 1,527 sustained injuries since June 14 from the rains and floods. During the past 24 hours, 119 people died and 71 were injured.

As per the data, 76 people died in Sindh, 31 in Khyber Pakhunkhwa, six in Gilgit Baltistan, four in Balochistan and one in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.  A total of 949,858 homes have been partially or fully destroyed, out of the total, 662,446 homes have been partially damaged, 287,412 have been fully destroyed.

While 719,558 livestock have also been killed.  A total of 3,451.5kms of road has been damaged, and 149 bridges have collapsed, 170 shops destroyed.  At least 110 districts of Pakistan have been hit by the floods with 72 of those districts declared calamity hit.

The NDMA’s latest report shows 5,773,063 people have been affected by the floods. However, it clarified that the data in today’s sitrep was based on confirmed figures but its estimates showed that more than 33 million of population has been affected by the floods. The authority shared that 51,275 have been rescued while 498,442 have been moved to relief camps. =DNA