Clean drinking water still remains a major problem in flood-stricken areas – ICRC

Clean drinking water still remains a major problem in flood-stricken areas –
ICRC 

More than a month has passed since severe floods devastated the Southern Pakistan but provision of clean drinking water still remains the biggest problem in the flood affected regions.

Peter Lick, head of International Committee of the Red Cross sub-delegation told the media reporters that basic health and hygiene are the major concerns in the flood-hit areas.

 “With no sustainable recovery in sight people ultimately have to rely on humanitarian aid to survive. For many of them, there is very little chance of being able to get the food and clean water they need on their own,” Peter Lick told the media reporters
in Karachi.

“Some people are still without shelter. Basic health and hygiene are also concerns as floodwaters stagnate and recede. Most people had not recovered from last year’s devastating floods before disaster struck again,” he added further.

Although PRCS (the Pakistan Red Crescent Society) has installed eight water treatment units in the flood affected areas, most of the flood survivors do not yet have access to these water treatment plants.

According to an ICRC report, the recent monsoon rains and floods have displaced around 340,000 in Sindh. These displaced people are living either in camps or are being housed by residents. According to official figures of the National Disaster Management
Authority (NDMA), the monsoon rains followed by devastated floods have affected more than 8.9 million people in 23 districts of Sindh Province.

At the moment, clean water is being supplied to several flood-hit cities through trucks and the service is expected to continue for another two months.

Relief activities in the flood-stricken districts started from Badin and expanded to ten districts that have been affected badly by the natural calamity.

The Pakistan Red Crescent Society, in conjunction with partners within the Red Crescent Movement and the International Red Cross and, are currently providing  aid to more than 465,000 people.

The International Committee of the Red Cross, through PRC, is providing food and basic relief items to more than one lac people in the flood-hit districts of Badin, Thatta and Tharparkar. The ICRC has also provided 1,300 tents for the flood survivors.

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Posted by Asma Rafique on Oct 27 2011. Filed under Pakistan, Society. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry