Pakistan: Floods Information Bulletin No. 03

Glide No. FF-2008-000123-PAK

This bulletin is being issued for information only.

One week after monsoon rains throughout Pakistan created floods situation in different parts of the country, flood water in most of the affected communities has receded. The Pakistan meteorological department has predicted scattered thunderstorms and rain in upper Punjab, including Islamabad, upper North West Frontier Province (NWFP) and Kashmir, and at isolated places in southern Punjab and southeast Sindh during the next 24 hours.

Relief operations and provision of basic health services by the government and national and international NGOs in the affected areas are currently underway. Top priority at present is the provision of safe drinking water and regular monitoring of water quality, as well as strengthening of Disease Early Warning System in flood affected areas in Peshawar district (NWFP) and implementation of the same in Rajanpur district (Punjab province) to prevent potential outbreak of communicable diseases. The Pakistan Red Crescent Society's (PRCS') national and provincial disaster response teams have completed their assessment and have distributed food and non-food items to affected communities. The PRCS/International Federation health teams have also provided basic health care and treatment to affected people. The PRCS' 2008 floods contingency plan, which was activated, and the formation of an Emergency Operations Committee by the national society, which met regularly following the floods, enabled the joint team of the PRCS, International Federation and partner national societies working in the country to meet the immediate needs of the affected population.

The Pakistan Red Crescent Society, with the support of the International Federation, determined that external assistance was not required, and therefore did not seek funding or other assistance from donors for its flood relief operation.

The Situation

Floods have subsided in the most affected areas of Pakistan. The Pakistan meteorological department has predicted scattered thunderstorms and rainfall in upper Punjab, including Islamabad, upper North West Frontier Province (NWFP), Kashmir, and at isolated places of southern Punjab and southeast Sindh during the next 24 hours. Several families who were rendered homeless by the floods continue to stay on roads and other safer places. Safe water supply remains a problem. Relief operations by the government and NGOs are currently underway, providing families with food and non-food relief items, clean and safe drinking water as well as basic health services.

Punjab

The Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS)/International Federation national disaster response team, which visited affected areas has reported that the floodwater has started receding in the three worst hit union councils in Rajanpur district (Haji Pur, Bakar Pur and Fateh Pur), as well as in the Eozman area hit by hill torrents and in 2 DG Khan district. The PRCS/International Federation team struggled though floodwater, mud and piles of debris to reach affected communities and distributed 200 packs of non-food items/family kits and 1,000 bags of flour (20 kilograms of flour per bag) to affected families in the areas visited. The non-food items consisted of tents, tarpaulin sheets, stoves, hurricane lamps and jerry cans. According to the team, some of the affected families have gone back to their damaged houses while the rest, whose houses were washed away, have opted to stay on roads or on the banks of irrigation channels.