Pakistan floods

Already hit by spectacular flooding in 2010 which affected 20 million people, Pakistan once again finds itself at the mercy of a monsoon which has reached an astonishing intensity in the last few weeks.

This has had disastrous consequences in the South of the country: around 5.4 million people have been affected by the rising waters and over 665,000 homes have been damaged or destroyed.

More than 800,000 people have been obliged to flee their homes, including 20% who have been forced into living rough, despite the forecast for more heavy rain. This new disaster has hit populations who, in many cases, had not yet recovered from last year’s devastating flooding.

Handicap International is already active working in the affected areas, including in response to the flooding last year. Our teams will take rapid action to assist the most vulnerable people by distributing emergency kits containing blankets, tarpaulins, cooking utensils, mosquito nets etc.

Handicap International has been assisting the most vulnerable people affected by the devastating floods that struck Pakistan in August 2010.

Last year we deployed a large-scale programme, centred on improving access to drinking water and sanitation, and distributing emergency aid to meet the basic needs of the victims, who have largely been forgotten.

"These floods are affecting millions of people and will have long-term humanitarian consequences, devastating entire regions. More than ever, we need to be present to help the most vulnerable people. That’s why we need everyone’s support”, says Jean-Marc Boivin, Director of Handicap International.

A disaster on a huge scale

One year since the floods first struck, the situation remains very serious: 20 million people have been affected – around one third of the population of the UK. Currently, 170,000 people are still living in camps, not counting those people who, having returned to their villages, are also living in makeshift shelters such as tents pitched on the roadside. The Pakistani population continues to feel the severe impact of the flooding, with serious shortages of food and supplies, limited access to medical care, and an economy to rebuild.

The needs remain considerable: according to the Pakistani government, more than 109,000 hectares of land remain underwater in Sindh, the worst affected province. The population is still being subjected to precarious living conditions, made worse by the cold winter weather. Seven million flood victims remain in need of water, sanitation and hygiene services (WASH) .

"It is crucial that Handicap International continues to take action in Pakistan", explains Stéphane Lobjois, Head of Mission in Pakistan. "The emergency is still not behind us, even though this crisis is not making headlines. That’s why we are committed, more than ever, to supporting the Pakistani people".

At the time of the floods, Handicap International had a team of 150 people in Pakistan. Our team has now expanded to more than 500 national staff including 25 expatriates.

“It’s a major catastrophe, with millions of victims," explains Stéphane Lobjois, Handicap International’s head of mission in Pakistan. “The flooding destroyed many homes, around 290,000 in total. In some areas, our teams were having to move around on foot to reach people in need.”

Present in the country since the earthquake in 2005, Handicap International has previously launched two large-scale emergency missions in Pakistan, most recently in 2009 after 3 million people fled from fighting in the Swat valley between the Taliban and the Pakistani army. We had a significant presence in the regions affected by the flooding and quickly mobilised an emergency response.

So far, we have helped more than 250,000 people

Since 2nd August 2010, our team on the ground in Pakistan has provided support to more than 250,000 flood victims. Handicap International has developed a multidisciplinary response to the crisis, allowing us to focus on improving the living conditions of flood victims in the provinces of Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, both of which remain severely affected, even one year on.

Water, sanitation and health - avoiding cholera epidemics

Handicap International is focusing on providing access to clean drinking water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), a key factor in preventing the development of epidemics, particularly cholera, which can easily spread in a flood situation where water sources are contaminated.

We have already set up seven water treatment units, capable of producing drinking water for 120,000 people at 5 litres of water per person per day. More than 170 water distribution points and pumps have also been installed, providing access to drinking water for populations affected by the floods. We are also delivering clean drinking water to camps using water tankers.

1 million water treatment tablets were distributed in the weeks following the flooding, along with jerrycans for collecting and storing clean water. We are also helping people to access water by repairing water supply systems (pumps) destroyed by the flooding.

© Raphael de Bengy - Handicap International

Our teams are giving simple advice on hygiene to the local population that can help prevent the spread of epidemics. Almost 55,000 people have already benefited from these sessions in Sindh province. We are also distributing emergency and hygiene kits. So far, kits have been distributed to 19,000 families identified as being particularly vulnerable, enabling them to process and store water, to wash and to cook.

Our teams are also repairing water conveyance systems (pumps, water reservoirs, etc.) destroyed by flooding to ensure long-term access to drinking water.

Healthcare and support for the most vulnerable

In terms of healthcare and assistance for vulnerable people, we have set up two ‘Disability Focal Points’ and 5 mobile teams, to support disabled and vulnerable people in their communities. Almost 8,500 people have also benefitted from psychosocial support activities.
Since June 2010, 12 centres for children have been opened, creating safe play areas for children, where they can talk about the trauma they have experienced. Children with disabilities are able to communicate more easily in these centres and benefit from game-centred learning. Some have been given walking aids (wheelchairs, crutches and walking frames). Since the launch of the project, almost 5,000 children have attended these 12 centres. Around 10% of these children have disabilities.

We are building transitional shelters, using traditional local methods, for the most vulnerable people who have lost their homes. These shelters are designed to last several years and comply with anti-hurricane standards. Our teams are helping to rehabilitate 126 homes damaged by the flooding for highly vulnerable people. In the future, this project will be extended and a total of 1,000 homes will be built or renovated benefiting to more than 7,000 people.

As winter arrived in November 2010 and the weather began to get cold, Handicap International also distributed cold-weather survival kits, containing blankets and warm clothing, to 3,000 vulnerable families.

Clear-up projects

We are also running a 'cash for work' project in the districts of Hangu, Swat and Kohat. Handicap International is involving local people in clearing away the waste and debris swept along by the floods and removing stagnant water from towns, enabling the population to return to the area and limiting the spread of disease. "Cash for work” enables local people to earn an income and buy goods to meet their needs. To this day the project has enabled the payment of 10,000 working day. More than 1,900 temporary latrines along with shower cabins have also been constructed in Sindh, in a workshop where more than 40% of the workers are people with disabilities.

Our previous work in Pakistan

To date, our projects in Pakistan have been supporting vulnerable people affected by the internal conflict in Swat, by providing healthcare, mobility aids, and psychosocial services, as well as kits to meet their basic needs. In addition, we are renovating and/or building new sanitary facilities that are accessible to people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups. We also educate populations at risk from the danger of unexploded devices. Our teams are now making every effort to assist victims of the flood and meet their immediate needs.

*Cooking kits contain saucepans, stoves, cooking utensils, etc.
** Hygiene kits contain basic items such as towels, soap, toothpaste, tooth brushes, nappies, sanitary towels, rubbish bags, etc.)