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MASSIVE flooding has “wreaked havoc” in Pakistan affecting at least 2.3 million people, reports children’s charity Plan International.
Heavy rain earlier this month caused water levels to rise in the north-east of the country, killing at least 346 people.
More than 400,000 people have had to leave their homes and millions of crops were destroyed.
While floodwaters are receding, several areas remain cut off.
“The torrential rains have wreaked havoc in north-eastern Punjab, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan,” says Rashid Javed, Plan’s Country Director in Pakistan.
“Flash floods inundated more than 3,600 villages, causing landslides and homes to collapse,” he adds.
In Punjab, the worst affected province, the provincial government has declared a state of emergency.
Aid workers from Plan have been on the ground there assessing the needs of the affected communities.
In Muzaffargarh district more than 7,400 people have been evacuated – but major parts of the area are still inaccessible.
Plan had issued early warning messages in the area telling people to leave and has also provided boats and volunteers to help with the response.
“Our early warning system resulted in timely evacuations in Muzaffargarh – but massive evacuations have continued.
“The situation is still unfolding, so we will not be able to gauge the full scale of the damage until all the flood waters have receded,” says Mr Javed.
In the urban areas of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, also affected, Plan has been raising awareness about the importance of health and hygiene after the floods – distributing hygiene kits to more than 200 families.
Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority has also provided thousands of tents, mats and blankets to affected people.
For more information on Plan’s work or to make a donation call 0800 526 848 or visit www.plan-uk.org
