Pakistan: Monsoon 2024 Flash Update #8 - Latest Monsoon Developments and Response Efforts, as of 09 September 2024

HIGHLIGHTS

  • The Provincial Disaster Management Authority of (PDMA) Sindh province, recorded 141, 601 displaced people in flood-affected districts of Mirpurkhas, Sanghar, Badin, Matiari, Khairpur, Qambar Shahdadkot, Sajawal, Dadu, Jacobabad, and Umerkot. The District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMAs) established 163 relief points and 40 medical camps.
  • As of 4 September, 16,601 people have been displaced, including 3,901 men, 4,193 women, and 8,507 children across Sanghar, Tando Muhammad Khan, Umerkot, Badin, and Matari districts. Of these, 2,627 individuals, comprising 429 men, 571 women, and 1,627 children, sought refuge in relief camps established by the DDMA. The remaining displaced people are staying with relatives in the Mirpurkhas, Badin, Matari, and Sanghar districts, of Sindh province.
  • In Balochistan, 13 districts were declared calamity-hit areas by the PDMA, affecting 168,041 people, resulting in 40 casualties, damaging over 17,000 houses and 66,134 acres of cropland.
  • Circa 764 villages were affected in Rajanpur and Dera Ghazi Khan districts of Punjab, impacting 13,281 acres of cropland across both districts. The affected population stands at 10,146 people.
  • The National Disaster Management Authority's (NDMA) cumulative data from 1 July to 8 September reveals a substantial increase in both losses and damages in the affected provinces. A total of 354 people died (120 men, 54 women, and 180 children) and 666 people were injured (247 men, 159 women, and 260 children). The data shows that a high number of casualties and injuries are among children.

SITUATION OVERVIEW

Sindh province

The School Education and Literacy Department of Sindh province released its updated assessment of the monsoon season's impact on children's education. As of 3 September, 230,976 children were affected, 1,348 schools and 181 Temporary Learning Centers (TLCs) were damaged, and 2,293 schools are non-functional due to standing flood water. Additionally, 93 schools are being used as Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps. The department is seeking support from the PDMA for the immediate provision of tents and education supplies.

A significant increase of over 80 per cent displacement across Sanghar, Tando Muhammad Khan, Umerkot, Badin, and Matari districts has been recorded. As of 4 September, 16,60 people were displaced, including 3,901 men, 4,193 women, and 8,507 children. Of these, 2,627 individuals, comprising 429 men, 571 women, and 1,627 children, sought refuge in relief camps established by the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA). The remaining displaced individuals are currently staying with relatives in the Mirpurkhas, Badin, Matari, and Sanghar districts. The affected individuals have expressed urgent needs for food, safe drinking water, WASH facilities, medical camps, hygiene kits, temporary learning centers, child-friendly spaces, cash assistance, and agricultural inputs.

Balochistan Province

The PDMA Balochistan reports 42 fatalities and 19 injuries, along with significantly damaged houses (1,591 destroyed, and 15,797 damaged). The affected population is estimated at 168,041, and 66,134 acres of agricultural land have been impacted. While no formal relief camps have been established, families with damaged houses are sheltering in tents provided by the district government on their properties. Localized humanitarian support has commenced in Sohbatpur and Jaffarabad, benefiting 9,000 households with necessities like food, clean drinking water, and WASH facilities. The comprehensive damage assessment by PDMA is ongoing. The presence of stagnant water and challenges related to dewatering pose serious threats to the vulnerable population.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP)

Monsoon rains have triggered weather-related incidents across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), leading to casualties and damages. The PDMA and district administration are closely monitoring the situation and issuing flood alerts as necessary to address potential risks, such as heavy rainfall or rising water levels in the Kabul River due to glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) in upstream areas, particularly in Chitral.

OCHA along with PDMA called a Provincial Intersectoral Coordination Working Group Meeting in which PDMA indicated that several districts have already shared their needs beyond their capacities. PDMA underscored the need for food assistance, shelter/NFIs, restoration of water supply schemes, restoration of schools and amenities for agricultural support. KP, PDMA requested all the Humanitarian partners to extend localized humanitarian support in Chitral Upper, Chitral Lower, Kohistan Upper, Mansehra and Karak districts.

The KP health department, in collaboration with WHO, assessed 181 health facilities across 14 priority districts: Abbottabad, Charsadda, D.I. Khan, Dir Upper, Haripur, Karak, Upper Kohistan, Lower Kohistan, Lakki Marwat, Nowshera, Shangla, Lower South Waziristan, Upper South Waziristan, Swat, and Tank. Of the 181 facilities assessed, 168 had permanent structures, while 13 operated in temporary setups. The operational status varied, with 10 facilities found to be completely non-functional.

Punjab: (Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur)

Circa 764 villages have been affected in Rajanpur and DG Khan, with 13,281 acres of cropped land impacted across both districts. The affected population stands at 10,146 people. Additionally, 17 active health teams are operating in the affected areas, having treated over 3,698 individuals. Furthermore, 71,125 livestock have been vaccinated during the floods.

There is an urgent need for a medium and long-term sustainable strategy to address hill torrents and flash floods, a recurring issue that devastates both districts annually, including thousands of acres of land with cash crops. Immediate support is needed in health, shelter, NFI, and food to assist the affected population, alongside urgent rehabilitation and reconstruction of homes and infrastructure damaged by the floods.