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30.08.2022

Swiss Solidarity collecting donations for floods in Pakistan

Over 33 million people are currently affected by the devastating floods in Pakistan. In recent weeks, the country has experienced the heaviest monsoon rains in the last 30 years. Entire regions were flooded. Over 1000 people lost their lives and nearly a million buildings have been destroyed. Countless people are dependent on aid. Swiss Solidarity is collecting donations to make relief possible through its Swiss partner organizations.

KEYSTONE / AP / ZAHID HUSSAIN

A land under water

In Pakistan, millions of people are affected by the consequences of the heaviest monsoon rains in the last 30 years. According to estimates, the rainfall was five to seven times more intense than in previous years. Even before the monsoon, Pakistan suffered from a month-long heat wave that dried out the country and melted glaciers. The parched soil, together with the resulting flash floods, was already causing flooding; the record monsoon is worsening the situation to catastrophic levels: so far, more than 1,000 people have lost their lives in the floods, hundreds of thousands have lost all their belongings and nearly one million homes have been destroyed. The Pakistani government has declared a state of emergency and is appealing for international help.

Precarious situation for those affected

The consequences of the current floods are enormous for the people of Pakistan. Although whole regions of the country are flooded, there is a lack of clean drinking water. If people drink contaminated water to avoid dying of thirst, the risk of diseases, especially diarrhoeal diseases and infections, is very high. In addition, there is a lack of vital food items such as cereals and rice. Besides the fact that hundreds of thousands of houses were destroyed, many farm animals also drowned in the floods. These were the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people. All these people lost their homes and livelihoods from one day to the next – and this precarious situation will remain even after the waters recede.

Our help

In view of the devastating situation in Pakistan, we are collecting donations to support the affected people in need. Our Swiss partner organisations on the ground, such as Helvetas, Solidar Suisse, the Swiss red cross, Save the Children Switzerland and doctors without borders, have already started their emergency aid and are distributing food and drinking water. In the coming days and weeks, we will provide urgently needed aid in cooperation with our Swiss partner organisations.

 

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