The Prime Minister’s Relief Fund account is active to accept donations for disaster-hit masses whereas tents have been ordered by the NDMA and the provincial disaster management authorities.
Pakistan’s minister for climate change, Sherry Rehman on Thursday said Pakistan was going through a climate-induced humanitarian disaster. She was referring to the unprecedented floods following monsoon rains over the past two months across the country.
The minister wanted international aid agencies to provide Pakistan further support for the flood-hit country. She said it was now time for donors and the world to support Pakistan, and in this light, asked the media to highlight the plight of flood victims, the rescue and relief efforts, and damages to life and property so that the stakeholders could manage a well-coordinated response with the public support.
“Almost 30 million people are without shelter, thousands of them displaced and have no food,” she said. “As needs assessment is underway and will be completed soon, which will help in approaching donor agencies for relief and rescue as the crisis has surpassed the capacity of the government.”
The minister was addressing a press conference where she said that the country had so far received average 166 millimetres of rainfall during August, 241 per cent above normal, whereas its southern parts particularly Sindh, got 784 per cent more than normal average rain of the season.
The met office statistics were startling, she said, adding the flash floods caused by massive rains had swept away bridges and communication infrastructure in various areas of the provinces.
The minister underlined that there was forecast of extended monsoon activity in September, which was again alarming one. The current deluge in the Indus River was even more than the super flood of 2010, she remarked.
She reiterated that it was not possible for a government or a province to solely handle such massive flooding and heavy rains.
“The Prime Minister’s Relief Fund account is active to accept donations for disaster-hit masses whereas tents have been ordered by the NDMA and the provincial disaster management authorities. The prime minister has also opened a war room at the NDMA to spearhead and monitor rescue and relief efforts.”
Some 913 people had perished in flood-related incidents. Many among the deaths were children from the north-western province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
