{"id":2413,"date":"2022-08-30T14:43:35","date_gmt":"2022-08-30T14:43:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gulftimes.ae\/pakistan-160-million-un-emergency-plan-launched-as-monsoon-on-steroids-continues\/"},"modified":"2022-08-30T14:43:35","modified_gmt":"2022-08-30T14:43:35","slug":"pakistan-160-million-un-emergency-plan-launched-as-monsoon-on-steroids-continues","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gulftimes.ae\/?p=2413","title":{"rendered":"Pakistan: $160 million UN emergency plan launched, as \u2018monsoon on steroids\u2019 continues |"},"content":{"rendered":"


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An estimated 33 million people have been affected by the \u201cworst flooding in decades “and more than 1,000 people, mostly children\u201d, have died since mid-June when heavy rains began pounding the country, Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN humanitarian coordination office, OCHA, said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

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The Pakistani people are facing a monsoon on steroids. More than 1000 people have been killed – with millions more lives shattered. <\/p>\n

This colossal crisis requires urgent, collective action to help the Government & people of Pakistan in their hour of need. pic.twitter.com\/aVFFy4Irwa<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Ant\u00f3nio Guterres (@antonioguterres) August 30, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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“Pakistan is awash in suffering,” UN Secretary-General Ant\u00f3nio Guterres\u00a0said in a video message\u00a0to launch the six-month appeal in Islamabad and Geneva.<\/p>\n

“The Pakistani people are facing a monsoon on steroids – the relentless impact of epochal levels of rain and flooding<\/strong>.”<\/p>\n

According to Mr. Laerke,\u00a0500,000 people displaced by the floods \u201care sheltering in relief camps \u2026 nearly one million homes have been damaged<\/strong>\u00a0and over 700,000 livestock have been lost\u201d.<\/p>\n

The humanitarian situation has also been compounded by severe impacts to infrastructure.\u00a0Damage to nearly 3,500 km of roads and 150 bridges<\/strong>\u00a0has impeded the ability of people to flee to safer areas, he said, and compromised the delivery of aid to the millions in need. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Three key objectives<\/h2>\n

According to the OCHA spokesperson the plan focuses on three key objectives: \u201cfirst,\u00a0delivering lifesaving and livelihood assistance<\/strong>, such as health services, food, clean water and shelter.<\/p>\n

\u201cSecondly, to\u00a0prevent large outbreaks of communicable diseases<\/strong>\u00a0such as cholera and assist small children and their mothers with nutrition.\u201d<\/p>\n

The third aim is to\u00a0ensure that \u201cpeople can access assistance and protection<\/strong>\u00a0in a way that is both safe and dignified, including family tracing\u201d.<\/p>\n

Matthew Saltmarsh, UN refugee agency (UNHCR) spokesperson, told reporters in Geneva that to date, the agency\u2019s response has focused on \u201cemergency provision going into the affected regions and providing emergency relief items<\/strong>. These include primarily shelter items, but also, \u201ccooking stoves, blankets, solar lamps.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo far,\u00a0we’ve delivered $1.5 million worth of aid<\/strong>, but much, much more will be needed in the coming weeks and also over the medium term, including development assistance,\u201d Mr. Saltmarsh said.<\/p>\n

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\ud83d\udce2 #PakistanFloods<\/a> update\ud83d\udce2<\/p>\n

WFP assistance to include food relief, malnutrition prevention and livelihoods support. <\/p>\n

WFP will also give logistics support for the response. But US$ 34 million is urgently needed to ramp up relief operations.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udd17Get the full update<\/p>\n

\u2014 World Food Programme (@WFP) August 30, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Devastating impact<\/h2>\n

Pakistan has endured severe monsoon weather since June, which saw rainfall levels 67 per cent above normal in that month alone, OCHA said in a statement. As of 27 August, rainfall in the country has been equivalent to\u00a02.9 times the national 30-year average<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

To date, 72 districts across Pakistan have been declared \u201ccalamity-hit\u201d by the government. Amid ongoing rains, the number of calamity-declared districts is expected to increase.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we hear flooding, we very often just think about people drowning, but it’s so much more to it,\u201d said Christian Lindmeier, World Health Organization (WHO) spokesperson. \u201cYou have\u00a0crush injuries from the debris floating in the water. You have electrical shocks from wires\u2026 you have the lack of drinking water<\/strong>,\u201d which is \u201cnot only a problem for the immediate situation, but for the medium situation as well\u201d.<\/p>\n

The WHO spokesperson also warned that \u201cat least 888 health facilities have been severely affected<\/strong>\u2026180 of which are completely damaged at this point\u201d.<\/p>\n

The \u2018pendulum has swung\u2019<\/h2>\n

According to the\u00a0Global Climate Risk Index 2021 and Climate Watch, Pakistan is among the 10 countries most affected by extreme weather events, despite its very low carbon footprint.<\/p>\n

According to Clare Nullis, World Meteorological Organization (WMO) spokesperson, the deadly flooding is \u201cthe footprint of climate change where it is becoming more extreme<\/strong>\u201d. In\u00a0March and April,\u00a0Pakistan \u201cwas in the grips of this devastating heat wave and drought\u201d and now \u201cthe pendulum has swung\u201d, she warned.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n