Pakistan floods 2011

Out of all the flood-hit areas in Sindh province, district Badin was worst affected. More than 90% of its land area is under water. The situation is so bad that there is no space to install camps for the people affected. In most areas, the water level has already reached around 8 feet in depth and it is feared that the level may rise up further over the coming days.

We have already started distributing food and water to the people and will scale up our response as the situation gets worse.

Almost one hundred thousand people are living in camps set up by the government and, according to independent estimates, four hundred thousand people are living on road sides. 20 of the 23 districts of Sindh province are affected by the floods. According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department, further thunderstorms and heavy rain at isolated places are expected over Sindh and eastern Balochistan. Scattered thunderstorms and rain with isolated heavy falls are also expected over parts of Punjab, Kashmir and Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa. Due to heavy rainfall over east Balochistan, flash flooding may occur.

Unprecedented monsoon rainfall coupled with wide and numerous breaches in various canals particularly Left Bank Outfall Drain (LBOD) is being reported as the major cause of the current flood emergency in district Badin and other parts of Sindh. There were reports of a faulty design pattern of the canal that resulted in its flooding and subsequent breaches.

Then there are other factors relating to monsoon period as water level in the neighbouring sea rises and it refuses to let the LBOD water run off into the sea; hence a severe backlash of the water flowing towards the river’s source. 

As per government and media reports the situation may continue to deteriorate. People are still being evacuated and it may take many days to reach all the stranded people. Communication and public infrastructure has been destroyed and there are few viable transport options. People have lost their houses, households, grains, crops and livestock. Irrigation channels are badly affected. Weather forecast reveals that there will be more rain in the coming days.

Organizations are using contingency stocks and diverting resources from early recovery programmes to meet life saving needs. Shortage of food items and health and hygiene issues may escalate in coming days. We are working hard to ensure that the needs of women and children are not ignored in government relief planning.

ActionAid is on the ground responding to the needs of the flood-affected people, especially women and children, who are most vulnerable. We have already started distributing food and water to the people and will scale up our response as the situation gets worse.