ISLAMABAD: A fact-finding mission of the United Nations and three relief agencies has reported extensive damages and displacement due to the recent floods in Sindh’s Khairpur and Sukkur districts and Balochistan.

Along with the UN, three relief agencies — Islamic Relief, Concern Worldwide, and Bhittai Social Watch and Advocacy (BSWA) — had sent their missions to the districts to identify the needs of the affected population, the response to floods, and gaps in relief activity.

Four union councils in the Kutcha areas of Khairpur district suffered significant damage, resul­ting in the displacement of 33,178 persons, including 11,060 men, 13,700 women and 4,209 children.

Currently, 130 families live by the roadside, and 160 with their relatives.

Over 33,000 displaced in Khairpur only; risk of Glofs in KP increased

The floods submerged 25 schools in the area, as well as a police station, and damaged 80 per cent of the crops.

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As of now, only one relief camp has been established in Sanghar district, housing 2,170 internally displaced persons.

In the Kutcha areas of Kingri and Gambat talukas of Khairpur district, the local NGO, BSWA, has identified urgent humanitarian needs.

In Balochistan — where stronger rainfall is expected this year as compared to previous years — nine districts have been declared disaster-hit areas.

A total of 158 houses have been destroyed, while 620 partially damaged. The flood also caused significant social infrastructure damage, including the collapse of seven bridges and damage to 35km of roads.

Additionally, 131 livestock perished in the gushing water, impacting the farmers and their livelihood.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has reported significant damages to water supply infr­a­structure in refugee villages of Surkhab, Pishin district; Malga­gai, Killa Saifullah district; and Ghazgi Minara, Loralai district.

These damages have severely limited access to clean water for refugee households, risking oral-faecal diseases.

According to the KP Provincial Disaster Mana­gement Authority (PDMA), heavy rainfall from July 1 to August 22, resulted in 72 deaths, 128 injuries, and the loss of 142 cattle.

Glofs in KP

In Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, the likelihood of Glacial Lake Outburst Flooding (Glof) events has increased due to the prevailing weather conditions and expec­ted westerly weather system.

Around 874 houses and seven schools have been damaged in the province. Timber smuggling thro­ugh the Indus River, which inten­sifies during the monsoon season and flooding, poses a significant threat to human lives and violates flood-related instructions issued by the PDMA and the National Disaster Management Authority.

Published in Dawn, August 26th, 2024