Tag: flash floods

  • UN chief to visit flood-affected areas on Sept 9

    UN chief to visit flood-affected areas on Sept 9

    United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres will pay a ‘solidarity visit’ to the flood-affected areas of Pakistan on September 9.

    “With the tragic situation facing millions of men, women and children impacted by historic floods in Pakistan, the Secretary-General will travel to the country next week for a solidarity visit,” said UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.

    According to Dujarric, the UN secretary-general will arrive in Islamabad and will go to the areas most impacted by the unprecedented climate catastrophe. He will also have conversations with displaced families and humanitarian agencies working on the ground.

    He is expected to remain in the country for two days and will leave on September 11.

    Foreign Office (FO) Spokesperson Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said it will contribute in a big way to our collective effort to highlight the impact of this disaster.

    On Tuesday, the UN appealed to the world to collect $160 million in aid for the Pakistani flood victims.

    UN Secretary-General António Guterres called upon the international community to take more steps to fight global warming and its impacts.

    “Let’s stop sleepwalking towards the destruction of our planet by climate change. Today, it is Pakistan. Tomorrow, it could be your country.”

    During the ongoing monsoon season, Pakistan received about 186 per cent higher rainfall than its 30-year national average.

    One-third of Pakistan has been completely submerged by unprecedented floods and the overall death toll is now more than 1,100.

  • At least 73,000 pregnant women expected to deliver next month in flood-affected areas

    At least 73,000 pregnant women expected to deliver next month in flood-affected areas

    According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), at least 650,000 pregnant women in flood-affected areas are in desperate need of maternal healthcare. As per UNFPA, 73,000 pregnant women are expected to deliver next month.

    “Up to 73,000 women expected to deliver next month will need skilled birth attendants, newborn care, and support,” the agency said, adding that pregnancies and childbirth cannot wait for emergencies or natural disasters to be over as this is when a woman and baby are vulnerable and need the most care.
    “UNFPA is on the ground, working with partners, to ensure that pregnant women and new mothers continue re­­ceiving life-saving services even under the most challenging conditions,” ac­­ting UNFPA Pakistan Repre­sen­tative Dr Bakhtior Kadirov said.

    You can donate clean delivery kits to women in need in flood-affected areas.

  • Flood-related losses may exceed $10 billion: Ahsan Iqbal

    Flood-related losses may exceed $10 billion: Ahsan Iqbal

    Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said that the initial economic losses caused by the floods in Pakistan cost at least $10 billion.

    The estimated cost was disclosed by Planning Minister on Monday, saying that Pakistan needed help from the rest of the world to deal with the consequences of climate change.

    Unexpected monsoon rains have caused historic flash floods that have destroyed bridges, crops, infrastructure, and highways, killing over 1,000 people and affecting more than 33 million. “I think it is going to be huge. So far, (a) very early, preliminary estimate is that it is big, it is higher than $10 billion,” Iqbal said.

    The minister estimated that the 200-million-person South Asian country, which will be facing an acute food scarcity, may take five years to reconstruct and recover.

     Along with significant damage to the rice fields, he claimed that 45 per cent of the cotton harvests had been washed away. “I think it is going to be huge. So far, (a) very early, preliminary estimate is that it is big, it is higher than $10 billion,” Iqbal said.

    According to Reuters, the Pakistani military said in a statement on Tuesday that rescue operations were still in progress and that foreign aid, including seven military aircraft from Turkey and three from the United Arab Emirates, was beginning to reach the nation.

    More aid will be sent to Pakistan as a result, which will assist it in overcoming its current condition.

    More than 300 stranded persons had been airlifted away, more than 23 metric tonnes of relief supplies had been provided, and more than 50 medical camps had been set up, with more than 33,000 patients receiving treatment, according to the statement.

    Moreover, China will send two aircraft on Tuesday (today) carrying 3,000 tents and Japan will send tarpaulins and shelters, in addition to the announcements of financial support from the UK, Canada, Australia, and Azerbaijan.

    As the cash-strapped nation struggles with political and economic unrest made worse by the historic floods, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) threw it another lifeline on Monday by releasing $1.17 billion in bailout funding.

    “Pakistan is in dire need and the damages are here and we will be in this a very long time,” Iqbal said. “It’s not months but years we are talking about.”

  • List of things you should donate to flood victims

    Devastating floods in Pakistan have affected more than 33 million people. One-third of Pakistan is underwater right now and hundreds of thousands of people are stranded across the country. We can all make a difference in the lives of flood victims by helping them out.

    Here’s how you can help:
    Donate Nylon Shoes:

    Syed Zafar Abbas Jafri, the founder of Jaferia Disaster Cell (JDC), is actively working to help those in the flood-affected areas. Jafri, in a video, said that the people living in flood-affected areas need nylon shoes.

    He explained that people have to walk miles and miles in flood-affected areas and while walking, their plastic slippers get stuck in the mud and then they have to walk barefoot for the rest of the journey, leading to injuries.

    He advised people to donate nylon shoes for the flood victims.

    Don’t donate cooked food
    Do not donate cooked food to the flood victims as you may not know when it gets delivered.
    Donate dry food
    Donate dry food items such as flour, ghee or cooking oil, salt, tea, sugar, biscuits, bread, and dry milk.
    Don’t think you have to do it on your own

    Try donating to large-scale and reputed organisations.

    Donate water filters and water purification materials

    Donate water filters and water purification materials to flood victims.

  • Floods in Pakistan: Govt to establish ‘National Flood Response and Coordination Centre’

    Floods in Pakistan: Govt to establish ‘National Flood Response and Coordination Centre’

    The government has decided to establish the ‘National Flood Response and Coordination Centre’ to deal with the situation of floods in the country and the rehabilitation of flood-affected people.

    The decision was made during a meeting of allied parties on August 29 in Islamabad, which was presided over by Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif.

    The Chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) updated the participants of the meeting about the country’s flood situation and relief efforts.

    The participants of the meeting decided that the estimation of the damages should be conducted in a transparent way.

    “At the national flood emergency meeting today, we approved the establishment of the National Flood Response & Coordination Center to provide an institutional response to the flood calamity. Led by PM, this Center will comprise federal ministers, reps of armed forces, CMs, & experts,” tweeted PM Shehbaz.

    According to the data issued by NDMA, at least 1,136 people have died in floods caused by heavy rains in the country.

  • KP govt launches ‘Flood Reporting’ app to aid flood victims

    KP govt launches ‘Flood Reporting’ app to aid flood victims

    To promptly aid those impacted by severe flooding, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government launched the “Flood Reporting” application on Monday.

    Atif Khan, the Minister of Science and Information Technology for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), gave specific directions for the introduction of the smartphone application.

    The minister stated in a message that flood victims will be able to use the Flood Reporting App to notify when they need food or medicine.

    He promised that the impacted agencies and the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) would see to it that the victims of the disaster received immediate aid.

    The latest application has a thorough system for seeking assistance for victims and keeping track of feedback. The smartphone application will allow users to instantly report the type of incidents that occurred and the assistance that is needed.

    Although 1,061 deaths have been reported by authorities since the start of the seasonal rains in June, the eventual death toll may be higher since hundreds of villages in the hilly north have been shut off after roads and bridges were wiped away by floodwaters.

  • Imran Khan’s fund raising telethon secures Rs5 billion in pledges

    Imran Khan’s fund raising telethon secures Rs5 billion in pledges

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan held an international telethon for the flood-affected. In three hours, Khan collected Rs5 billion in pledges.

    Khan said entire Pakistan had been affected by the floods due to relentless rains. “More than 1,000 people have died due to devastating floods and the damages are expected to cross Rs1,000 billion,” he said.

    “The sole solution to prevent the catastrophes caused by a flood is to construct dams.”

     Read more: IK back on live TV: High Court suspends ban on IK’s speeches

    Khan also said that he is struggling for real independence besides assisting the flood victims across the country. 

    The PTI chairman took Twitter and thanked the people of Pakistan, and expats for donating so generously.

  • Vegetable prices soar amid low supply due to floods

    Vegetable prices soar amid low supply due to floods

    Extreme flooding has hampered the supply of perishable items from agricultural areas, driving up the prices of onions and tomatoes in city markets.

    While tomatoes cost Rs400-450 per kilogramme (kg), onions cost Rs350-400 per kg. Onion prices rose by Rs75 per kg week over week in the official rate list, while tomato prices rose by Rs234 per kg.

    The supply chain is hampered by road blockages and transportation restrictions in flood-affected areas, according to The News.

    Onion A-grade cost Rs75 more per kg, was fixed at Rs180-190, and was sold for Rs350-400 per kg. Onion B-grade cost Rs160-167 per kg, was sold for Rs235-250 per kg, and onion C-grade was priced at Rs180-200 per kg.

    Tomato A-grade price increased by Rs234 per kg, maintained at Rs320-330 per kg, sold for Rs400-450 per kg, followed by B-grade price increase to Rs290-300 per kg, C-grade price increase to Rs240-250 per kg, and B&C price increase to Rs350 per kg.

    Chinese carrot prices increased by Rs11 per kg, from Rs80 to Rs85 per kg to Rs120 to Rs160 per kg for sale. Fenugreek (Methi) remained constant at Rs250-260 per kg and was sold for Rs400 per kg.

    This week, the price of chicken also climbed by Rs20 per kg, from Rs240 per kg to Rs280–300 per kg, and the price of chicken meat by Rs30 per kg, from Rs362/kg to Rs380–650/kg.

    Cucumber Farm increased its price by Rs50 per kg, fixed at Rs120-125 per kg, sold at Rs150 per kg, and locally sold cucumbers were sold for Rs200 per kg.

    Brinjal price increased by Rs5 per kg, from Rs86 to Rs90 per kg, and was sold for Rs120 to Rs140 per kg.

    Price of bitter gourd rose by Rs10 per kg, fixed at Rs160-165 per kg, and sold at Rs200 per kg.

    Local lemon prices increased by Rs20 per kg, from Rs235-245 per kg to Rs280-320 per kg when sold. Pumpkin remained at Rs60–63 per kg, sold for Rs80–100 per kg, and pumpkin long was sold for Rs140–150 per kg.

  • Modi extends condolences to families of the flood victims

    Modi extends condolences to families of the flood victims

    Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi extends his condolences to the families of the flood victims in Pakistan.

    “Saddened to see the devastation caused by the floods in Pakistan. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims, the injured and all those affected by this natural calamity and hope for an early restoration of normalcy,” tweeted Modi.

    The devastating effects of floods across the country continue to rage on as monsoon rains have killed over 1,000 people and disrupted the lives of more than 5.7 million people.

    The federal and provincial governments are currently providing assistance to the displaced families and now the international community has also poured in their support.

    The Organisation of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Secretary General Hissein Brahim Taha expressed “deep sorrow over the casualties, massive destruction of property and loss of life resulting from floods in Pakistan”.

    The United Nations (UN) is set to launch a Flash Appeal in support of Pakistan. The international platform will reportedly launch a $160 million appeal.

    Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Asim Iftikhar said that the appeal will be launched on Tuesday, August 30.

    Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced that the country is currently providing support to Pakistan. “Like many Canadians across the country, I’m thinking of everyone affected by the devastating flooding in Pakistan. Canada is providing support through UNCERF and Red Cross Canada – to provide food, clean water, and other essential services as quickly as possible,” he tweeted.

    During a telephonic conversation between President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed with Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif, the UAE President offered condolences and sympathy to the victims of the floods.

    PM Sharif thanked Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan for their support. Both country leaders had telephonic conversations with the premier.

    President Raisi and President Erdogan conveyed solidarity with Pakistan and assured support in relief assistance in all areas affected by heavy floods and rains.

    Moreover, PM Sharif thanked French President Emmanuel Macron for his support for the flood affectees.

    In a tweet, he said, “Grateful for President Emmanuel Macron’s message of support for the people of faced with devastating floods. We appreciate France’s solidarity and offer of help for the affected people in this hour of need.”

  • Number of flood affectees may cross 33 million, warns Climate Change Minister

    Number of flood affectees may cross 33 million, warns Climate Change Minister

    Federal Minister of Climate Change Sherry Rehman warned on Sunday (August 28) that the number of those affected by the floods may cross 33 million as the devastating floods continue.

    She said that the government, supported by the United Nations (UN) and other humanitarian agencies, is leading the humanitarian action.

    “Kabul River is still at very high flood level at Nowshera as more than 300,000 cusecs of water was crossing the river,” she said, adding that with 500,000 cusecs, water levels in River Indus at Taunsa, Sukkur and Chashma are at “high flood level”.

    Calling the floods “a perfect storm”, Sherry Rehman added that as relentless rains had battered the southern parts of the country, the floods in the Indus River devastated the northern areas.

    Updating on the relief efforts, she said that as rain has subsided in some areas, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Pakistan Army have amped up rescue efforts.