Five days in Pakistan flood zoneFIELD DIARY 18 August 2010: UNICEF reports on Regional Director Daniel Toole's visit to relief camps in Sukkur, Pakistan. By Daniel Toole ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, 15-19 August 2010 –
Day one First full day of briefings in Islamabad. The scale of the disaster is unbelievable – and somehow still not understood outside Pakistan. It is a ‘slow-evolving, rapid on-set emergency.’ The floods span the country unlike anything in decades. Participated in United Nations Secretary-General de-briefing in the evening. He was visibly shocked and said so – the scope of the destruction is massive. Day two Travelled early this morning to Peshawar, the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province – flooding along the expressway and crops are submerged. Charsaddah and Nowshera districts have massive destruction. Mud is everywhere, thousands of people are sleeping in makeshift tents on the median of the road – there is little food and water. UNICEF warehouse there was completely underwater – $1.2 in emergency supplies lost! Spoke to an older women who has lost everything except what she could carry. Few have been killed despite fast arriving water, but destruction is massive. Day three Attended United Nations team meeting to discuss overall scope of the disaster.
Initial appeal for help was based on an estimate of just over 3 million people in urgent need. It is now clear that this figure is way off – many more need help. Government of Pakistan now estimates that 20 million are affected, and that an area the size of Switzerland, Austria and Belgium combined is under water. Size of flood-affected area is growing daily, and more rains are due. Day four Arrived in Muzaffargarh district in southern Punjab province. Again the heat and flies are everywhere – can I possibly live as these people are, and must?
Road was completely flooded on the way here, but we got through. Trucks are backed up waiting. Our driver says the water level has gone down in recent days. The road is eroding – we hope it holds until the water recedes. Spoke to a woman with five children who has lost everything. There are thousands – hundreds of thousands – like her. She fled the floods with her children, carrying no food, and only the clothes she was wearing. She has diarrhoea and all her children are ill despite now being at a safe camp where cooked food is provided. Her ‘tent’ is covered on only two sides, so when it rains the family huddles together to stay dry. Water supply is good in the camp and there seems to be enough food, but conditions in all camps aren’t like this. These families are lucky. Also visited a UNICEF ‘child-friendly space’ with games, toys and several caring adults to give children a welcome break from the grim reality and trauma of fleeing their homes. UNICEF is responding quickly – nearly all staff from the Lahore office are here, plus many others. All are working to ensure clean water, and sanitation and good nutrition. We are working with [the World Health Organization] and others to provide health services like immunisations, oral rehydration solutions for diarrhoea and basic drugs, and to ensure – as much as possible – protection for children. Day five Arrived in Sindh Province – in Sukkur city, nearly 4 million are displaced. Almost 2 million acres are covered in water! Took a helicopter flight over the area – there is water as far as we can see. Towns are flooded; electrical poles stand in deep, fast-flowing water. Water continues to flow onwards, threatening new areas – every hour, every day. Attended briefing with the province governor. Expert views of the situation were provided by staff of Sukkur Barrage office. The barrage, or dam, is one of largest in the world. It must hold or all irrigation works will be destroyed and decades of progress lost. Visited a camp for displaced people and sweat streamed down my face, back and body. It is so hot, and many (most) people are fasting for Ramadhan – they don’t even take water. How do they manage? One moment of hope – school has started in one camp and about 180 children are sitting and learning on the first day. The class includes many small girls who are in school for the first time! Took ‘iftar’ – the evening meal when Muslims break their fast during Ramadan – with the Chief Minister. Discussed the many people working on the relief effort – government, army, UN and local partners. Support of Pakistani people is incredible, and yet all of this must expand. Will the international community move fast enough? We need to help urgently.
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