Pakistan Monsoon Floods

The Pakistan floods have been described as the worst floods in living memory. As at September 1, 2010, 1667 people have been killed and 18 million people affected. The floods will affect more people that the Indian Ocean Tsunami, Hurricane Katrina and the Haiti Earthquake.

The floods began in late July 2010 following monsoon rains. Approximately one third of the country is affected by flooding. Recovery will take many years and the UN has issued an appeal for $459 million of assistance.

The Pakistani Government has been criticised as slow in their response. The emergency management structure is vague and relies on the military to provide assistance to affected populations. Capacity is limited. The Pakistani Government is relying on foreign aid agencies and governments for assistance.

Follow the link for the latest update from the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs for the Initial Floods Emergency Response Plan and Situation Reports.

The following link takes you to a map of the flood affected areas of Pakistan and details the extent and effects of flooding in each area.

What can you do to help? The best thing you can do as an individual is donate to one of the many appeals being run by aid agencies. In Australian appeals are being run by UNICEF, Red Cross, World Vision, Oxfam, MSF and others.