Background
In July 2010, Pakistan suffered from the deadliest floods in living memory.
These floods have been termed as the worst floods in the century and its severity has been beyond the imagination of the national, provincial and district governments.
Major damages include loss of life, destruction of roads, telecommunications, bridges, water and sanitation, administrative infrastructure, houses, markets, shops, land and standing crops, leaving more than 3.4 million families with no homes. To salvage these helpless people and live stock to safer abodes, and to provide them with interim camps, clean drinking water and food, besides essential medicines, to ensure that no epidemic scourges the area leading to final rehabilitation is in fact a challenge not only for Pakistan but the whole world community.
The magnitude of this natural disaster may require the largest aid effort in modern history. Following statistics obtained from UNO, NDMA Pakistan and WHO give a bird’s eye-view of the damages to life and property:
Total Affected Area (UN): 20 million people with 160,000 Square Kilometer
Total Damages: 5.1- 7.1 Billion USD
Total Homeless (UN): Over 4 Million
Total Affected Villages: 10,963
Sindh = 4,295
Punjab = 3,132
KP = 581
Balochistan = 2,584
Gilgit-Baltistan = 371
Total House Damages: 562,072
Sindh = 211,375
Punjab = 91,210
KP = 178,493
Balochistan = 75,261
Gilgit-Baltistan = 2,820
Fata = 1,432
AJK = 1,481
Total Livestock Losses (UN): 200,000
(100℅ Poultry loss in affected areas)
Sindh = 126,200 Cattle
Punjab = 748 Cattle
KP = 8,438 Cattle
Balochistan = 17,926 Cattle
Gilgit-Baltistan = 4,669 Cattle
Fata = 15 Cattle
AJK = 400 Cattle
Total Cropped Area (Cropland) Damages: 4.135 Million Acres
- Sindh = 1.552 Million Acres
- Punjab = 1.471 Million Acres
- KP = 466,626 Acres
- Balochistan = 630,705 Acres
- Gilgit-Baltistan = 9,000 Acres
- Fata = 6,500 Acres
Agriculture Loss: More Than 2.9 Billion Dollars
- Cotton Crops Loss = 700,000 Acres
- Rice Crop Loss = 200,000 Acres
- Sugar Cane Loss: = 200,000 Acres
- Stocked Wheat Loss: = 500,000 Tonnes
- Animal Fodder & Stored grain Loss: = 300,000 Acres
Most fertile cropland submerged 17 Million Acres
Total Bridges Damages: 45 Major Bridges
High Way Damages: 2,433 Miles
(158 Million USD Approximately)
Railroad Damages: 3,508 Miles
(131 Million USD Approximately)
Total Schools (UN): 5,674
Health facilities Damages (WHO): 189
Public Building Damages (UN): 1 Billion USD
Transmission lines, Trans formers
& power housesDamages: 10,000
Power shortfall: 3,135 MW.
One of the worst affected areas is the province of Sindh. The malicious flood waters devastated multiple towns and villages of SINDH, downed power and communications lines, and caused major damage to constructions.
More than one week after the initial arrival of the floods hundreds of thousands of people remained without electricity, piped water and communications. Many key roads and major bridges were destroyed.
Sukkur ,Shikarpur ,Jacobabad, and Kashmore remained accessible only by water or air because the entire infrastructure system was wrecked by the floods.
The prevailing socio-economic conditions along with flood situation exacerbated the living conditions of women, men, boys and girls residing in the flood-affected districts. Millions lost their homes, their assets, and source of revenue, and are in desperate need of emergency aid. Non-availability of safe drinking water and damage to sanitation infrastructure are contributing to the incidence of acute diarrhea and other water-borne diseases along with dermatological problems.
One hundred percent crop losses have been recorded in many areas; millions hectares of standing crops have been washed away. Seed stocks have been destroyed, severely compromising the possibility to plant staple food crops in September for hundreds of thousands of farmers.
Surviving livestock may perish if immediate food support is not provided. Short- to medium-term needs to re-establish agricultural livelihoods will include support for seeds (wheat and vegetables), fertilizers, tools and irrigation rehabilitation, and the restoration of basic services including education, health and nutrition. Unless aid activities are rapidly scaled up to reach those who remain displaced and without immediate access to food and clean drinking water, additional loss of human lives and further suffering will occur. Life-saving assistance should focus on the provision of food, clean drinking water and sanitary facilities, shelter and NFIs (including clothing), and emergency medical services especially in the inundated areas of Sukkur ,Skhirpur ,Jacoabad, and Kashmore districts.
After submerging areas of northern Sindh (including Kashmore, Kandhkot, Shikarpur, Jacobabad, Ghotki, Sukkur, Khairpur, and Dadu ), the flood water changed its course towards the southern areas of Sindh, thus submerging at least three talukas of district Thatta. Other towns like Sujawal, Bathoro and Daro also were overrun by floodwaters.
In an effort to combat the catastrophe, we have organized ourselves into a co-coordinating body, mobilizing aid to affected parts of Sindh, including in particular the district of Jacobabad. Following are the affected districts:
FLOOD AFFECTED DISTRICTS IN SINDH PROVINCE |
17 |
Severely Affected Districts |
Moderately Affected Districts |
Kashmore |
S. Benazirabad |
Shikarpur |
Hyderabad |
Jacobabad |
Matiari |
Larkana |
Tandu Muhd Khan |
Shahdad Kot |
Tandu Allah Yar |
Thatta |
Sukkur |
Dadu |
Khairpur |
Jamshoro |
Noshero Feroze |
Ghotki |
|
NDMA RECORD:
Heavy rainfall that began on July 22 and subsequent flooding in multiple regions of Pakistan have affected approximately 17.6 million people and resulted in more than 1,600 deaths nationwide, according to the NDMA. In addition, the NDMA reports that floods have affected at least 79 of Pakistan’s 122 districts, and approximately 10 million people require humanitarian assistance.
