A boy and a woman, who became displaced, take refuge in a camp, following rains and floods during the monsoon season in Sehwan, Pakistan September 15, 2022.
Reuters
Nearly 10,000 people in Sindh's Sanghar district have been displaced after floods destroyed homes and crops, with 2,600 now living in a relief camp
Contaminated water, mosquito-borne diseases, and food shortages are major concerns, while 80% of cotton crops have been destroyed
Floods and heavy rains have killed more than 150 children in Pakistan since July, accounting for over half of all deaths during this monsoon season.
In a statement, international aid group Save the Children said more than 200 children have been injured in rain-related incidents, forcing thousands of families from their homes.
In Sindh province’s Sanghar district, nearly 10,000 people were displaced after a canal overflowed. At least 2,600 people are now living in a relief camp set up in a local school. About 60% of those in the camp are children, while others remain in the open, beside their damaged homes.
The aid group reported severe shortages of clean water in flood-affected areas of Sanghar, with contamination from human and animal waste.
“Some villages are still inaccessible except by boat, as snake-infested floodwaters have cut off access. More than 90% of residents surveyed cited mosquito-transmitted diseases, such as malaria and dengue, as major health concerns. Seventy-five percent of respondents expressed fears about waterborne illnesses, including diarrhea,” the statement said.
The impact on local agriculture was reported to be devastating. About 80% of cotton crops, the primary income source for farmers in Sanghar, have been destroyed, along with hundreds of livestock. Many families are resorting to selling household assets to purchase food, according to Save the Children’s assessment.
People attend the funeral of victims who died after monsoon rain flooded the basement of a house, killing 11 family members, in Dara Adam Khel, in the Kohat District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan July 30, 2024.
Reuters
Girls in Sanghar expressed concerns over their safety, with some fearing an increase in gender-based violence in the aftermath of the floods. A young girl named Aisha* described the dire conditions: “We need food, water, and a safe place to sleep. My school is flooded, so we can’t go to class. I miss playing with my friends.”
Over 280 killed during current monsoon season
Pakistan has been grappling with severe monsoon rains this season, which have claimed over 280 lives since July 1, according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
Earlier this week, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) forecast another round of monsoon showers across various parts of the country this week. Authorities warned of potential urban flooding in several cities in the provinces of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
A westerly wave was expected to approach the upper parts of Pakistan, bringing storms and heavy thundershowers to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Islamabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), and Gilgit Baltistan, the PMD said in a statement.
This year's rains have again caused widespread damage to infrastructure and agriculture, exacerbating the challenges faced by the country’s already struggling economy.
*denotes name changed to protect identity
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