Home Latest News U.N. Estimates 8mn Pakistanis Still Living Close to Floodwaters

U.N. Estimates 8mn Pakistanis Still Living Close to Floodwaters

Report notes decline of water-borne illnesses in most flood-hit districts but warns of deteriorating food security for an estimated 1.1 million people

by Staff Report

Photo courtesy UNICEF—Sami Malik

Citing imagery from the U.N. Satellite Center, the global body on Tuesday warned that an estimated 8 million people are still potentially exposed to floodwaters or living close to flooded areas, with floodwaters yet to recede in 11 districts of Sindh and two districts of Balochistan.

The report, compiled by the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance, says Sindh’s Dadu, Kambar-Shahdadkot, Khairpur, Mirpurkhas, Jamshoro, Sanghar, Umerkot, Badin, Shaheed Benazirabad and Naushahro Feroze districts, as well as the Sohbatpur and Jafferabad districts in Balochistan remain inundated months after torrential downpours left them flooded. Citing data provided by Sindh’s Provincial Disaster Management Authority, it noted that over 240,000 people were still displaced in the province, down from 6.5 million in early September.

“Nearly 90 percent of flood-displaced people are reportedly with host communities, while the remaining are in tent cities and relief camps,” says the report. “While receding flood waters have allowed millions of people to go home, there are reports of significant service gaps in areas of return, in addition to extensive impacts to homes, agriculture, and livelihoods,” it added, warning this year’s floods have had a significant impact on health, particularly for children.

Referring to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), UNOCHA said cases of malaria, cholera, acute watery diarrheal diseases, and dengue fever were declining in most flood-his districts. Overall, it said, malaria cases have reduced to around 50,000 from over 100,000 confirmed cases in early October, with a 25 percent decline in Balochistan; 58 percent in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa; and 67 percent in Sindh. However, it warned, high malaria and cholera cases were still being reported in some pocket districts in Sindh and Balochistan where standing water remains. Additionally, it said, around 70 suspected cases of Diphtheria were reported from flood-hit areas of KP, Sindh, and Punjab in November.

Stressing that poor sanitation and contaminated water resources were adversely affecting the health and wellbeing of children, it said overcrowded and makeshift shelters, damaged health infrastructure and inadequate water and sanitation had compounded the risk of measles and rubella, along with water-borne, skin, and acute respiratory illnesses.

WHO states that Pakistan is among the top 10 countries in the world with a large pool of unvaccinated or under-vaccinated children and is home to more than 600,000 children who have not received a single vaccine dose; the floods had compounded this problem, said UNOCHA. “Major immunization service delivery interruptions have been reported in Balochistan and Sindh provinces,” it added.

On food security, the U.N. said there was a persistent and increasing need for emergency food assistance moving into the first quarter of 2023. The food security situation of an estimated additional 1.1 million people is deteriorating and are forecast to fall into IPC 4 (emergency food security phase) between January-March 2023, it warned, adding that available data indicates over 5.1 million people are currently experiencing IPC 4 conditions in flood-affected areas. Further adding to the problem is a “significant increase” in negative coping strategies, including distressed sale of income-producing assets, increased debt, withdrawal of children from school and skipping meals, indicating flood-hit populations are continuing to struggle to return to pre-flood levels of food security.

Humanitarian response

According to UNOCHA, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) is planning a joint national-level mock exercise for winter contingency plans in the first week of December. It said several bilateral partners had provided in-kind assistance to Pakistan to support agricultural production, including Turkiye. Meanwhile, it noted, international and national NGOs were continuing to support people with food, health, non-food items, water, sanitation, and hygiene. “As of Nov. 21, Pakistan Humanitarian Forum members had reached 3.8 million people through its humanitarian response in food, shelter, education, NFIs, WASH, cash, health, and protection in 82 flood-affected districts,” it said, adding the Pakistan Red Crescent Society had similarly reached over 584,000 people with lifesaving assistance in shelter, health, WASH, food and non-food sectors.

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