Tag: floods

  • PM Shehbaz postpones UAE visit to ‘focus on rescue & relief’

    PM Shehbaz postpones UAE visit to ‘focus on rescue & relief’

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif has on Thursday postponed his upcoming trip to United Arab Emirates (UAE) in order to focus on relief and rescue activities for flood victims in Pakistan.

    “I was set to visit the UAE on Sept 3 on the invitation of HH the President. We mutually decided to postpone the visit so that I could focus on the ongoing rescue & relief activities,” tweeted the PM.

    “We will forever be indebted to our brothers & sisters who have stood by us in this challenge,” wrote the premier thanking the Arab country for sending the first disbursement of relief goods worth $50 million for flood victims.

    Earlier, Foreign Minister and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari postponed his official visit to four European countries in August to focus on relief and rescue operations in disaster-hit zones.

    The Pakistan Army has also postponed Defense Day ceremony to express solidarity with flood victims.

    As a result of the devastating floods, the death toll stands at 1,191, with an estimation that nearly one-third of the country is swamped with flood waters leaving more than 30 million people displaced from their homes. Approximately 116 districts across the country have been affected.

    The unprecedented floods have wreaked havoc on the country’s infrastructure as well, with bridges, roads, dams, power lines, schools and houses damaged by raging waters.

    World Health Organisation (WHO) has estimated that 6.4 million people are in need of urgent help while 888 health facilities have been damaged by the 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Floods in Pakistan: Death toll reaches 1,136

    The death toll from the devastating floods in Pakistan has reached 1,136. According to the data issued by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA),402 people have lost their lives in Sindh, 244 in Balochistan and 258 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

    Read more- Flood Emergency: Here is how you can help

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

    Read more- World leaders extend their support to Pakistan’s flood affectees

    The locals are concerned that the standing water may spread waterborne diseases.

    Read more- What caused Pakistan’s greatest flood in a decade?

  • PCB to donate earnings from match against England to flood victims

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced that gate earnings from the first T20I against England will be donated to the Prime Minister’s Flood Relief Fund 2022.

    The match will be played on September 20 at the National Stadium in Karachi and will begin at 7:30pm (local time).

    The PCB has urged cricket supporters and fans to buy tickets in large quantities once they go on sale online the following week in order to show solidarity with all those affected by the floods.

     “We at the PCB express our grief and sorrow for all those affected by the extreme monsoon rainfall and floods, which has ​resulted in havoc and devastation beyond imagination, killing over 1,000 and leaving around a million homeless. As cricket unites our proud nation, we stand firmly with the victims and all those involved in​ the flood relief and rescue operations,” said PCB chairman Ramiz Raja in a statement.

    According to the data issued by the National Disaster Management Authority(NDMA), at least 1,033 people have died in floods caused by heavy rains in the country.

  • Pakistan is drowning. Why don’t we care until it’s too late?

    Floods in Pakistan have affected more than 30 million people, which is about 15 per cent of the country’s population. More than a thousand people have lost their lives and millions have been displaced, prompting the government to proclaim a national emergency. This is one of the worst natural calamities in recent times. The harrowing videos and pictures on our television screens and social media show massive devastation, pain, tears, and death spread across the country. Entire villages have been washed away, and there are places that have been fully drenched due to the inundated rain and floods, turning them into islands without any access to the outside world. There are places without electricity, without internet, without phone data, without roads, and without food and help. What Pakistan witnessed in the 2010 floods is not even close to what the country is facing today. A decade later, the country is fully swamped with water. Unfortunately, we the people woke up a little too late to this harsh reality. With every passing day, the death toll increases and so does the destruction.

    The national response has been slow, to say the least, but mercifully all governments, federal and provincial, are actively helping the flood victims. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has been actively visiting the flood-affected areas and trying to be at the top of his game by showing empathy towards the needy and has categorically said that it is time Pakistanis show unity and keep everything aside to save the flood victims while Chairman PTI Imran Khan will be hosting a telethon for fundraising on Monday. However, Khan has said that the PTI’s movement for Haqeeqi Azadi will continue alongside its flood relief work. PTI held a jalsa in Jehlum for its fight for haqeeqi azadi on August 27. A PTI member took to the stage and said that overseas Pakistanis should not give funds to the flood victims because the present government took away their right to vote. Khan also reiterated that his struggle against thieves will continue whether come what may. Such calamities demand a bipartisan approach from our leaders but well here too we have managed to fail our country. Khan seems pretty adamant that his quest against those he does not approve of will continue, even if there is a flood or war. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has said that the Opposition can keep playing “jalsa, jalsa” while they will deal with the flood catastrophe.

    The question remains: will the politicians be able to let their politics take a backseat for now and show some empathy towards their own citizens? Can’t politics, the numbers game, and the blame game wait? For once, our politicians should look beyond their own personal interests and agendas and stand united. Our politicians must give priority to those millions of people who have been affected by floods. It is time that all Pakistanis must donate wholeheartedly. The people need to be prompt with their help and generosity. We hope that partisan politics is put on hold, and all political leaders fully dedicate their voices and efforts to helping the flood victims. They need to be rescued right now and relief efforts must continue. They will later need to be rehabilitated and relocated. It will take a lot of resources and hard work. We must all come together to help them right now. Our political battles can wait.

  • Imran Khan to hold a telethon to raise funds for flood relief efforts

    Imran Khan to hold a telethon to raise funds for flood relief efforts

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan will be holding a telethon on Monday for the flood-affectees in the country.

    ” Our senior leadership met and we decided I would do [an] international telethon to raise funds for flood affectees on Monday night,” tweeted Khan.

    However, Khan also made clear that his quest for Haqeeqi Azadi will continue alongside his flood relief work.

    Earlier PTI leader Asad Umar tweeted said Khan will hold the telethon Sunday.

    Imran Khan visited the flood-affected areas in DI Khan. He said that he is being pressurised to collect funds but he is not doing so because he wants to be sure how this money will help the affectees.

    “When I take on a project, the first thing I think about is whether I will be able to honestly spend the money on the cause,” said Khan.

    Khan further added that currently he was assessing the damage caused by the floods and once he knows how much money is needed to cover the loss, then he will give people a call to raise funds.

    The PTI Chairman also said that the federal government and the provincial governments in Sindh and Balochistan, respectively, should leave everything and fully dedicate themselves to helping the people who have been affected by the devastating floods.

  • Celebrities express shock, dismay on flood crises in Pakistan, request for donations

    Celebrities express shock, dismay on flood crises in Pakistan, request for donations

    Unprecedented rainfall over the last few weeks has wreaked havoc across Pakistan since June and left destruction in their wake, with no respite for people as rivers continue to overrun, resulting in flash floods.

    Official statistics show that 982 people have been killed in rain and flood-related incidents, while more than 5.7 million people have been affected.

    While South Punjab and parts of Swat are going through a disastrous period, the entirety of Balochistan and Sindh is alarming. It is reported that hundreds of people have died as a result of buildings entirely submerging in water.

    In light of the ongoing situation, celebrities and sports personalities have called on the nation to donate generously to provide some measure of relief to the affected people.

    Celebrities Appeal For Donations As Devastating Floods Hit Pakistan
    Celebrities Appeal For Donations As Devastating Floods Hit Pakistan
    Celebrities Appeal For Donations As Devastating Floods Hit Pakistan

    Celebrities Appeal For Donations As Devastating Floods Hit Pakistan
    Celebrities Appeal For Donations As Devastating Floods Hit Pakistan
    Celebrities Appeal For Donations As Devastating Floods Hit Pakistan

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    Celebrities Appeal For Donations As Devastating Floods Hit Pakistan

    In light of the ongoing situation, celebrities and sports personalities have called on the nation to donate generously to provide some measure of relief to the affected people.