杏MAP导航

By Kielce Gussie

In the aftermath of the devastating floods in Pakistan on 15-16 August, Caritas Pakistan is working to provide relief and care for those living with the effects.

“The Church stands with the affected families through prayer and action. Caritas Pakistan is actively responding, and we urge the continued support of all our faithful, as well as our local and international partners,” Archbishop Benny Mario Travas of the Archdiocese of Karachi and President of Caritas Pakistan told the Vatican's Fides news agency.

Residents stand at the entrance of a house on a flooded road, caused by monsoon rains and the rising water level of the Sutlej River, in Hakuwala village near the Pakistan-India border   (AKHTAR SOOMRO)

A state of emergency has been declared for Karachi as new flood and heavy rain warnings have been issued for Sindh—a province in the south. At least seven people have died as a result of the flooding and reports show damage to infrastructure all throughout the area.

Help is on the way

Recognizing the extent of the damage, the Executive Director of Caritas Pakistan, Amjad Gulzar, called the situation a national emergency. He explained immediate aid is being distributed in the different areas affected by the floods.

“Our teams are on the ground assessing needs and providing food, shelter, medical care, and restoring the dignity of affected families now also in the South,” Gulzar shared. The Caritas team is assessing the destruction and coordinating aid efforts. Working together, volunteers and district authorities are visiting affected areas to determine their needs.

Volunteers load relief goods for people who were affected by flooding from monsoon rains in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province   (ANSA)

The Executive Director reported that 2,500 flood-affected families—some 17,500 people—are expected to receive aid, in the form of food packages, hygiene kits, and drinking water.

Caritas Pakistan has also set up 15 free medical camps to help fight common flood-related illnesses and provided shelter kits for people who have lost their homes.

Immediate aid needed

Right now, the first areas to receive aid are those most severely affected. Gulzar explained Caritas is focused first on “prioritizing isolated and inaccessible communities”.

In these areas, they are offering mobile health units to ensure that people have access to basic medical care.

Gulzar appealed to civil society organizations, donors, and partners to come together to respond to the humanitarian crisis in Pakistan. He stressed that “immediate support is needed to save lives, protect families, and restore dignity to those affected.”