Emergency! Pakistan declared a state of emergency due to floods
On August 26, according to the data of Pakistan National Disaster Bureau, since mid June, the death toll caused by heavy rainfall and floods in various parts of Pakistan has risen to 937, and 30 million people have been forced to become homeless. After Balochistan, 23 districts in Sindh province have also become the worst hit areas. The Pakistani government declared a state of emergency on the 25th.
According to the data of Pakistan National Disaster Bureau, the rainfall in August was 166.8 mm, while the average rainfall was 48 mm, an increase of 241%. According to the government’s preliminary rapid assessment report, it needs at least 72.36 billion rupees to provide timely relief to the affected people. Pakistani information minister olanzeb appealed to Pakistanis abroad and the international community to help Pakistan tide over the difficulties.
Earlier, on August 24, local time, Sherry Rehman, Minister of climate change of Pakistan, said that since June this year, floods caused by monsoon rains have killed more than 900 people and caused “epic disasters” in Pakistan. She therefore appealed to the international community for assistance.
According to CCTV news, on August 24, when answering a reporter’s question on the flood disaster in Pakistan, a spokesman of the Chinese Foreign Ministry said that the 4000 tents, 50000 blankets, 50000 waterproof tents and other reserve materials provided by China under the framework of social and people’s livelihood cooperation in the China Pakistan Economic Corridor have been put into the disaster relief front line. In view of the current disaster situation in Pakistan, China has decided to provide a new batch of emergency humanitarian assistance, including 25000 tents and other relief materials urgently needed by Pakistan, and strive to deliver them as quickly as possible. The Red Cross Society of China will also provide emergency cash assistance of 300000 US dollars (about 2.06 million yuan) to the Pakistan Red Crescent society.
The monsoon rainfall that began in mid June is expected to continue this week. Some experts said that the current floods in Pakistan are closely related to global climate change.
A rare heavy rain in decades
According to the previous report of Pakistan’s “Dawn News” on August 24, Lehman wrote on twitter that since June, the record monsoon rains and the resulting floods have caused 903 deaths, including 326 children and 191 women, and 1293 people were injured. The number of people affected by the disaster reached 3 million.
According to the figures provided by Lehman on twitter, the most serious casualties were in Sindh and Balochistan provinces. The rainfall in these two provinces has broken the record of 30 years.
Pakistan’s national disaster management authority (NDMA) also introduced the current disaster situation in a statement: the flood destroyed nearly 125000 houses and damaged another 288000 houses; About 700000 livestock died and nearly 2 million acres of farmland were destroyed in Sindh and Balochistan provinces; In addition, nearly 3000 kilometers of roads were damaged.
According to the Afp report on August 24, the heavy rain continued to hit most parts of Pakistan on the same day. The official report said that more than 10 people died in the past 24 hours, including 9 children.
Pictures broadcast by local television in Pakistan on the 24th showed that people waded through waist high floods, holding children in their hands and carrying daily necessities on their heads.
According to the report of Pakistan geo TV station, the TV picture shows that the family of the deceased transported the deceased from the water soaked house, carried the coffin across the flooded area and sent it to other places for burial. However, cemeteries in the disaster area may have been submerged under the flood.
“It’s been raining for a month and there’s nothing left.” A woman named khanzadi in jaffarabad County, Balochistan province, told AFP, “we only have one goat, which was drowned in the flood… Now we have nothing. We lie on the road, facing hunger.”
Zaheer Ahmad Babar, a senior meteorological official of Pakistan, told AFP that the rainfall this year was the largest since 2010. The rainfall in Baluchistan was 430% higher than that in normal years, and that in Sindh was nearly 500% higher. Another scientist, shahla gondal, also said: “in recent decades, we have never seen such an unusual heavy rain in Pakistan.”
Assistance from the United Nations and Qatar
According to the dawn news, videos and photos on social media show that while the floods have hit Pakistan’s urban and rural areas, the Pakistan Navy and army and the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) have also rushed to the disaster area to rescue.
Lehman said the Pakistani government was “using all available resources to help the flood victims”, but added that the Pakistani government would also appeal to the international community for assistance.
“Provinces, even Islamabad, cannot cope with this huge climate disaster alone.” “Life is at stake and tens of thousands of people are homeless. It is important for international partners to allocate assistance,” Lehman told AFP
In addition to China, other international organizations and countries have also provided support to Pakistan. According to the report of Pakistan’s “news” on August 25, the UN Secretary General’s spokesman dujarik said on the 24th that the United Nations is increasing its assistance to Pakistan. The UN team led by the humanitarian coordinator Julien harnis has raised $7 million to deal with the flood. Dugarik also said that the United Nations also provided 1100 tons of rations, therapeutic feed and nutritional supplements to the affected areas.
According to another report of the associated press, on August 24, after concluding the talks with Tamim bin Hamad al Thani, the Emir (head of state) of Qatar, the visiting Prime Minister of Pakistan, Sharif, announced that the Qatar Investment Authority was preparing to invest US $3 billion in Pakistan. It is reported that the purpose of Sharif’s visit is to seek financial assistance, loans and investment for Pakistan, which is experiencing economic crisis.
On August 24, Pakistani information minister marriyam Aurangzeb also appealed to Pakistanis at home and abroad to donate to the disaster area.
On August 26, according to the data of Pakistan National Disaster Bureau, since mid June, the death toll caused by heavy rainfall and floods in various parts of Pakistan has risen to 937, and 30 million people have been forced to become homeless. After Balochistan, 23 districts in Sindh province…