Since 15 August, heavy monsoon rains have wreaked immense damages in Pakistan, leaving the population facing a veritable humanitarian disaster. Pakistan is one of the Central Asian countries most exposed to the risk of flooding: river flooding in the Indus basin, storm-related flooding, overflowing glacial lakes, etc. These floods are particularly dangerous because they affect urban areas such as the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Punjab. HI, which has been present in Pakistan since 1985, mobilised from the very first days to support the population, victims of the considerable damage caused by the floods.
Violence of floodwater: 8.9 million people affected
Since the start of the summer, the rainy season has been intense for Pakistan - the country's meteorological authorities have issued warnings for mid-August, predicting rain that could lead to urban flooding in several regions of the country. Unfortunately, what was predicted turned out to be violent.
On the morning of 15 August, a cloudburst fell in the Buner district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, bringing more than 150mm of rain in just one hour - the equivalent of 150 litres per square metre. The heavy rains have caused widespread devastation in the region, with the districts of Swat, Shangla and Buner among the worst affected: the rain has caused flash floods, landslides and flooding due to glacier failures in high-altitude lakes...
These massive floods have also severely affected the province of Punjab. According to the Pakistan Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), more than 2.3 million people have been affected in this province in eastern Pakistan, and more than 600,000 displaced to safer areas. as the water continues to submerge vast areas of the region.
In just a few days, the violence of the floods affected millions of people across the country, resulting in the destruction of almost 2400 homes, 580 km of roads and over 700 public infrastructures (schools, bridges, places of worship, shops, etc.).
As of 28 August, the Pakistani authorities had registered at least 965 dead and more than 1340 injured since the onset of monsoon.
Several provinces plunged into chaos
The situation in Pakistan is disastrous. After the initial floods, further waves of intense rain have hit the country, exacerbating the damage caused in the cities, further isolating rural communities and rapidly overtaking the capacity of the local authorities to respond...
In addition to the destruction of homes, the population is facing major food, shelter and health problems, particularly in Swat, Buner, Shangla, Malakand, and Dir districts. Nearly 600 heads of cattle have been lost in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, there has been considerable damage to farmland, more than 600 shops have been destroyed and their stock lost in the district of Swat, and drinking water supply systems have been damaged…The impact of these floods poses a real threat to families who are living in extremely precarious conditions.
"Many families are resorting to debt or selling their remaining possessions to find the means to survive... We need to provide food aid, financial support and recovery solutions to help farmers, shopkeepers and day workers. There is also an urgent need to provide the population with clean water and hygiene kits. During floods, the risk of epidemics is very high", explains Taimur Ahmed Tanoli, Country Manager for HI in Pakistan.
HI mobilised to respond to the emergency
HI, which has been present in Pakistan for 40 years, mobilised from the very first moments of the emergency to help the communities affected by the floods. Since mid-August, the organisation has been implementing a flood response project in the Swat district of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, one of the worst affected by the disaster. These activities, carried out in partnership with two Pakistani organisations, IDEA and LASOONA, cover a number of areas.
HI is committed to deliver an inclusive humanitarian responses, making sure that persons with disabilities, the elderly, women-headed households and other marginalised groups are not left behind in life-saving assistance. As an immediate flood response, HI is addressing urgent basic needs through the distribution of food items, hygiene kits, and dignity kits, while also prioritising access to clean Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene to reduce the risk of epidemic. Morover, mental health support helping the population cope with the shock and inevitable trauma, particularly the loss of possessions and loved ones, and potential injuries… HI is also organising rehabilitation activities. These are crucial in the event of an emergency of this type, enabling people injured in the disaster to be cared for to prevent more serious after-effects and avoid permanent disabilities.
"We take care to adopt an inclusive approach at all times. The most vulnerable people, such as the disabled or the elderly, are sometimes marginalised or even excluded and do not have the same access to humanitarian aid as others. At HI, we make this a priority and we try to spread inclusion within the practices of our partners," adds Taimur Ahmed Tanoli, Country Manager for HI in Pakistan.
With rains expected to continue until September, it is urgent that the international community mobilise to prevent further loss of life.
