ReliefWeb

As the scale of the devastation becomes clearer, increased support is pledged for relief and rebuilding.

Around 57,000 people affected by the worst floods in Pakistan’s history have so far received lifesaving aid through Islamic Relief. Among the first to respond to the disaster, we have been a lifeline for flood-affected people in Balochistan, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

To reach those most in need we are working as part of the UK’s Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC). Thanks to the generosity of our supporters:

• Our emergency teams have reached uprooted families with food, cash grants and kitchen sets – despite challenging conditions with many roads and bridges destroyed

• Families that have lost everything are using the tents and tarpaulin sheets we have provided for temporary shelter The hygiene kits we distributed are helping protect people from the deadly waterborne diseases spreading in flooded areas

• Volunteers trained by Islamic Relief are evacuating hundreds of people every day, while our water pumps and electricity generator are assisting over 15,000 people

• We have provided 100,000 litres of clean water, and will shortly be providing 10,000 litres of drinking water every day.

Enormous humanitarian needs amid worsening crisis

Despite all that we are doing in coordination with the National Disaster Management Authority and other aid agencies, a staggering 33 million people are reported to have been affected by the disaster, and many people remain in dire need.

A break in the rain has seen floodwaters start to recede in some places, but Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who praised Islamic Relief’s aid efforts in a meeting last week, has described parts of the country as being “like a sea”.

Alarmingly, more deluges are forecast this month: an especially bleak prospect for families already sleeping out in the open or in flimsy shelters.

In response, we are increasing our emergency operations still further and pledging a far-reaching contribution to recovery and rebuilding efforts, aiming to support over 500,000 affected people in total over the next year.

A key objective we are setting ourselves is ensuring that people are safe from further harm and can live in dignity by rebuilding infrastructure and livelihoods. Our team in Pakistan will work closely with national and local government to:

• Rebuild damaged homes and infrastructure. More than 1.6 million homes have been destroyed or damaged, and we are planning to build new flood resilient homes for families and repair water supply systems and sanitation facilities.

• Rebuild the livelihoods of farmers and pastoralists. With more than 3.6 million acres of crops and orchards ruined by the floods and more than 800,000 livestock killed, we will help to revitalise agriculture by distributing seeds and organic fertiliser, and by providing new livestock along with vaccinations, deworming and fodder for those that have survived.

• Provide people with cash. Many people have lost their only source of income and savings, so our cash grants will enable them to buy what they need and support local markets, while our cash-for-work projects will employ local people to remove debris and repair damaged infrastructure.

• Keep vulnerable people safe. With so many people homeless and living in basic temporary shelters and camps, there is increased risk of violence and abuse. We aim to establish safe spaces for women and children, as well as constructing toilets and washing facilities that are safe and gender-appropriate.

• Address the psychological impact of the floods. Millions of people have been through incredibly traumatic events over the past few weeks. Islamic Relief will provide vulnerable people with counselling and psychosocial support.

• Focus on the most vulnerable, by providing food packs and nutritional support for pregnant and breastfeeding women, and ensuring that services benefit people with disabilities.

Islamic Relief is determined to continue to stand alongside the people of Pakistan, many of whom have already lost so much, as the impact of this disaster continues to unfold.