UN Begins Flash Appeal of $ 38.3Mln for Flood-hit Areas of Pakistan
By Sonita Taylor 'Pakistan Times' Foreign Correspondent

GENEVA (Switzerland): The United Nations on Wednesday launched a flash appeal to raise US $ 38.3 million in the next three months to address the urgent humanitarian needs of the people in Balochistan and Sindh displaced and affected by cyclones and devastating floods.

The appeal was launched by Undersecretary General John Homes, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, at the European headquarters of the United Nations, in a meeting attended by UN member states, UN specialized agencies, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Ambassador Masood Khan, Pakistan’s envoy to the UN in Geneva, who was the key-note speaker in the Flash Appeal Meeting, gave a detailed account of how the Government of Pakistan had responded to the calamity that had affected 2.5 million people and displaced more than 377,000.

The United Nations, its specialized agencies, other international organizations, and NGOs, hope to use the funds through the Flash appeals to meet the pressing needs of the flood affected areas for food security, shelter, health, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), camp management, education, and emergency telecommunications.

Undersecretary General Homes said that in view of the wide-scale devastation in Balochistan and Sindh, it was imperative for the international community to supplement the efforts of the Government of Pakistan in the areas of shelter, water and sanitation, health, food security and restoration of livelihoods.

“It is a collaborative and participative process”, Undersecretary General Homes said adding that the UN and other agencies had “good cooperation” with Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

Ambassador Masood Khan briefed donor countries about the efforts being undertaken by the Government of Pakistan/ NDMA to mitigate the ravages of the floods.

“The relief and rescue effort”, he said, “has been massive, hands on, and uninterrupted.”

Ambassador Khan mentioned of some 1,000 sorties by the C-130 aircraft and army helicopters to save lives and to provide food, water, tents, medicines, and blankets, among others.

The Pakistani Ambassador said that though Pakistan had not launched its own appeal for international assistance, it welcomed the support given by the United Nations, international organizations, and NGOs.

“The challenge is still there because the threat of floods has not subsided. And we have to put together the shattered lives of the communities already hit”, Masood Khan said.

Ambassador Khan told the countries and specialized agencies assembled for the UN Flash Appeal that for Pakistan overall priorities were “Early Recovery so that we could restore livelihoods; heath, water and sanitation; and shelter.”

Pointing to the urgent requirements, he said the Government of Pakistan was focusing on “acquisition of water filtration plants; and small, 20-bed field hospitals”.

During the Flash Appeal Meeting, Norway, the European Commission, and Finland announced that they would commit resources to the relief efforts soon.

Details

The United Nations and the Red Cross appealed Wednesday for 55 million dollars in emergency aid for hundreds of thousands of Pakistani flood victims, warning that an already dire situation could worsen.

Further heavy rains were expected in the southwestern regions stricken since late June, increasing the risk of new flooding, while moving floodwaters in Sindh province were still causing havoc, the agencies said in statements.

Some 2.5 million people have been affected by the flooding and more than 377,000 have fled their homes in Baluchistan and Sindh provinces, the UN humanitarian coordination office said in a situation report.

"I urge the world to respond urgently and generously to this appeal," said UN emergency relief coordinator John Holmes.

"If we don't act quickly their plight is likely to deteriorate further," he warned.

The UN appeal totals 38 million dollars in emergency aid for shelter water, health care and food.

Meanwhile, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies more than doubled its emergency appeal to help some 360,000 of the Pakistani flood victims to 17 million dollars.

More than 67,000 homes have been destroyed in the flooding in the southwestern provinces, which was triggered by a tropical cyclone at the end of June and torrential rains, according to the Federation.

Many people are still living in makeshift camps and public buildings. The UN said that the risk of flooding in southern plains was increasing.

Holmes told journalists that weather forecasters were also predicting above average rainfalls during the next two months in Pakistan.

"The danger of flooding has by no means receded," he added, warning that local dams were under severe strain.

Moving flood waters, fuelled by ongoing rain, were still affecting communities in Sindh province, according to the Red Cross federation.

"We're also concerned that it's threatening new villages in the region," said Federation coordination team leader Ian Heigh.

About 280 people have died in the floods and 217 are missing, according to official Pakistani data cited by the UN.

The UN and Red Cross appeals are closely coordinated with the Pakistani government's own aid operations.

"They have not appealed for help but have said that help from the international community was welcome, that's the basis on which we've operated " Holmes said.●