An aerial view of a flood-hit district of Sindh. Twitter
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Sunday reported that deaths due to heavy rains and floods across Pakistan since mid-June had now climbed to 1,638, including 718 men, 332 women, and 588 children, with 12,865 others injured.
In its daily situation report, the disaster preparedness agency also raised the total losses of homes and livestock, stating that 1.22 million homes had been partially damaged nationwide—a majority of 1.07 million in Sindh alone—while 824,169 had been destroyed, with the majority once again being reported from Sindh at 739,965. Similarly, 20,738 livestock were reported as having perished in the previous 24 hours, raising to over 1 million the total number of animals that have been lost in this year’s devastating calamity.
Of the more than 33 million people impacted by this year’s floods, the Benazir Income Support Program has designated more than 2 million families for cash handouts. The NDMA said 59.25 percent of these had received their funds, adding Rs. 40.8 billion had been disbursed of the allocated Rs. 68.99 billion.
Meanwhile, in its own situation report, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance (OHCA) said a preliminary assessment comparing satellite data of Sept. 8-14 with that of Sept. 15-21 had found that floodwaters were increasing in eight districts of Sindh; two of Balochistan; and one of Punjab, even as they were on the decline in the rest of the flood-hit areas.
OCHA stressed that the most pressing concern at this stage of the disaster was the spread of disease among flood victims, many of whom are living without shelter and little food next to stagnant pools of water in unsanitary conditions. It also warned that with the winter season looming, urgent assistance was needed to ensure shelter needs of all affected populations were taken care of.
According to the National Flood Response Coordination Center, 147 relief camps and 237 relief collection points have been set up in Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan. It said 10,309 tons of food; 1,746 tons of sustenance items; and 10,184,230 medicines had been collected, adding of this 10,175 tons of food; 1,732 tons of sustenance items; and 10,118,930 medicines had been distributed among the victims.