LAHORE: Pakistan Railways (PR) on Sunday said his field operations teams sent tons of humanitarian goods in cooperation with several charities in flood-hit areas of Balochistan and other provinces.
According to Farrukh Taimur Gilzai, Director General of Public Relations, teams in Rawalpindi division sent 1000 dry rations, medicines worth 2 million rupees and other items while medical teams have also reached Qila Abdullah and Qila Saifull and began to provide medical assistance people.
“From PR to Lahore division, we sent five tons of dry rations, including flour, lintels, vegetable oil, biscuits, etc., to Balochistan,” he said, adding that Multan division medical teams we already service people in Shadan Lund Dera Ghazi Khan area and Rojhan Rajanpura area.
Also, Sukkur from PR division sent packages of food for 500 families, 500 boxes of mineral water, 10 packs of fresh juices, 10 boxes of milk bags and medicines worth According to Taimur, 300,000 rupees.
Pakistan asks the UN international community for humanitarian aid
Karachi division It has also sent two tons of dry rations and various food items, except for bottles of mineral water and juices flood-hit areas.
Global community help looking for
In a separate development federal government formally applied to the UN and international community for humanitarian aid in view of devastation caused recent floods and heavy rains in Pakistan.
According to the Directorate General of the European Commission for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Assistance Operations (Echo), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has formally contacted international community for help.
An initial estimate of seven million people across Pakistan hit by floods with nearly half of them from Balochistan, said Echo in published statement on Sunday.
outside of 35 districts of Balochistan that were hit flash floods and heavy rains 24 were declared natural disasters.hitand nine were seriously injured. These districts were: Lasbela, Jal Magsi, Qila Saifulla, Pishin, Noshki, Kachkhi, Khuzdar, Kalat and Chaman.
Echo estimates that total population in affected areas were 3.1 million, of which is estimated to be 50 per cent in need of humanitarian aid.
The Balochistan Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) was already conducting a rapid multisectoral assessment with technical support from the UN and other humanitarian partners, Echo said.
Power has also set up five camps with capacity of Between 300 and 500 families per camp, while a few government institutions and humanitarian partners were also responding to needs of flood victims. However, the persistent severe weather conditions strained opportunities of already limited resources available interested parties.
Above past Over the course of several months, above-average monsoonal rainfall significantly affected the provinces of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, causing in flash floods in cities.
Quoting the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), Echo reported that total rainfall has increased by 180% compared to expected levels. of 63 mm with Balochistan receives highest rainfall (163 mm or 450 pc deviation) in July. “The crisis comes against the backdrop of a serious economic crisis in country, as well as an upward trend of a new wave of Covid-19 is added.
Amin Ahmed in Islamabad also contributed to this report
Published in Dawn, August 8, 2022
