Home Latest News Over 800,000 People Granted Flood Relief Assistance through BISP

Over 800,000 People Granted Flood Relief Assistance through BISP

NDMA says total deaths due to rains and floods since mid-June now at 1,391, as U.N. secretary general visits Pakistan to highlight climate change crisis

by Staff Report

P.M. Sharif an members of his cabinet with U.N. Secretary General António Guterres in Islamabad. Photo courtesy PID

U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres arrived in Pakistan on Thursday night for a two-day visit intended to apprise the international community of the devastation caused by floods and highlight the threat posed by climate change to the entire world.

“I have arrived in Pakistan to express my deep solidarity with the Pakistani people after the devastating floods here,” he said in a posting on Twitter. “I appeal for massive support from the international community as Pakistan responds to this climate catastrophe,” he added.

“Humanity has declared war on nature and nature is tracking back,” he told journalists after attending a briefing at the National Flood Response Coordination Center (NFRCC). “But nature is blind. It is not striking back on those who have contributed more to the war on nature,” he said, stressing that despite contributing less than 1 percent to global greenhouse emissions annually, Pakistan was consistently among the countries most vulnerable to the impact of climate change.

Appreciating the generous spirit of Pakistanis, who had opened their arms to Afghan refugees and to its own internally displaced, he said his voice was at the service of Pakistan and its people. “We know our contribution is limited … but we are committed [to this effort],” he said. “My admiration for this country and its people is limitless … I will do my best to raise awareness in the international community,” he said, as he called on the global community to donate generously to help Pakistan overcome the destruction caused by this year’s unprecedented rains. “It is essential,” he emphasized, “for this [Pakistan’s minimal contributions to climate change] to be recognized by countries which have contributed most to climate change.”

More deaths

The U.N. chief’s visit coincides with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) announcing that 36 more deaths had been confirmed over the previous 24 hours, 35 in Sindh and 1 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. According to the NDMA’s latest report, 1,391 people have died across Pakistan since mid-June due to various rain-related incidents. Of these, it said, 616 were men; 279 women; and 496 children. The hardest-hit province remains Sindh, which has reported the deaths of 220 men, 106 women and 251 children. In Balochistan, 263 people have died; 293 in KP; 44 in Pakistan-administered Kashmir; 22 in Gilgit-Baltistan; 1 in Islamabad.

Overall losses to homes and livestock have also increased in the past 24 hours. The NDMA said more than 1.7 million houses had been partially or fully damaged since mid-June, including 1,173,288 partially damaged homes and 565,878 fully destroyed. In Sindh, 488,405 homes have been destroyed by the rains, while 1,037,077 are partially damaged. In Balochistan, 45,975 homes have been partially damaged, 18,410 destroyed; 219 partially and 302 fully damaged in KP; 45,975 partially and 18,410 fully damaged in Balochistan; and 636 partially and 575 fully damaged in GB. Overall livestock losses have climbed to 754,708, including 792 in Pakistan-administered Kashmir; 500,000 Balochistan; 20,474 KP; and 28,336 Sindh.

According to the Provincial Disaster Management Agency, 191 people have died in Punjab, with floods in the province’s south impacting 468,803 people. It said the province had recorded 3,858 injuries, and the loss of 205,106 livestock. The total area impacted by the floods in south Punjab is 1,129,502 acres, with crops covering 638,621 acres estimated to have been lost. 896km of roads and 16 bridges have also been damaged in the province.

Meanwhile, the NDMA said Rs. 2.69 billion had been disbursed to 107,899 flood-hit people in Balochistan; Rs. 2.76 billion to 110,326 in KP; Rs. 3.6 billion to 145,704 in Punjab; and Rs. 13.1 billion to 524,969 in Sindh. In total, it said, 888,898 people across Pakistan had been disbursed Rs. 22.22 billion through the Benazir Income Support Program thus far.

Meager resources

Addressing the briefing at the NFRCC, P.M. Shehbaz Sharif thanked the U.N. chief for visiting Pakistan, saying his empathy and support had been a source of “great encouragement.” Noting that the Government of Pakistan, along with all provincial governments and relevant stakeholders were working together to provide relief and rescue to the millions impacted by the floods, he said efforts were ongoing to shift flood victims to safer areas while also providing them food and shelter. “The challenge is absolutely beyond human capacities, yet humans have to handle it and we are,” he said.

Stressing that Pakistan needed international support, he said this was essential to tackle the scale of the disaster. “Pakistan is doing its best with its meager resources. We thank the international community for contributing … but unless we get sufficient support in terms of relief, in terms of repairing the damage, we will be in trouble,” he warned.

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