Floods Hit Southern Pakistan

THOUSANDS of families are facing fresh misery in Southern Pakistan – as torrential rains hit Sindh province.   

Children’s charity Plan International says up to 300,000 people in Badin district have been left homeless by flooding.

The most vulnerable are being evacuated after one foot of water swamped their homes.

“Our specialist disaster response teams are on the ground in Sindh province where thousands of people are in need of food, shelter and safe drinking water,” says Haider Yaqub, Plan’s Country Director in Pakistan.

“More rain is forecast in the next few days and there are fears the problems will escalate.”

Sindh province was one of the worst hit by last year’s devastating floods with 7.5 million people affected.

In response to this latest disaster, the government has set up temporary relief camps in 43 high schools.

However, they are only housing 20 per cent of the people displaced. 

“Some families are also taking shelter in primary schools and health centres,” says Mr Yaqub.

“The majority are stranded on the roadside as they’ve been unable to reach the camps.”

Plan’s teams are focusing on providing shelter, as well as clean water and sanitation – as well as setting up safe spaces for children affected by the floods.

“We are aiming to ensure children, especially girls, are kept safe from harm during this difficult time,” explains Mr. Yaqub. 

Heavy rains are taking a toll across South Asia.

About one million people have been affected by floods in Southern Bangladesh.

For more information visit www.plan-uk.org

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Contact:

Rose Foley 
Media Relations Officer 
Plan UK | www.plan-uk.org

Direct Line: 0203 217 0257 | Switchboard: 0300 777 9777 / +44 (0)20 7608 1311 (Non-UK) | Mobile: 07964 296 431 | Skype: rose_planUK | Address: Finsgate 5-7 Cranwood Street, London EC1V 9LH

Notes to editors

1) Plan is a global children’s charity. We work with children in the world’s poorest countries to help them build a better future. A future you would want for all children, your family and friends. For over 70 years we’ve been taking action and standing up for every child’s right to fulfill their potential by:

·         giving children a healthy start in life, including access to safe drinking water

·         securing the education of girls and boys

·         working with communities to prepare for and survive disasters

·         inspiring children to take a lead in decisions that affect their lives

·         enabling families to earn a living and plan for their children’s future.

 We do what’s needed, where it’s needed most. We do what you would do. With your support children, families and entire communities have the power to move themselves from a life of poverty to a future with opportunity.

 www.plan.org.uk

2) Plan UK is a member of The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), an umbrella organisation for 14 leading humanitarian aid agencies.

3) We work with children in 48 of the world’s poorest countries to help them build a better future.

4) Plan was founded by British journalist John Langdon-Davies in 1937 to rescue orphans and other vulnerable children from the Spanish Civil War.

5) We have over 114,000 sponsors in the UK, generating £25 million a year, and 1.5 million sponsored children worldwide.

6) Sponsorship starts at £15-a-month and, rather than going to individual children and their families, funds projects to improve schooling, health, nutrition and livelihoods across communities.