Hundreds are dead, thousands are injured and hundreds of thousands of people are homeless or displaced after tropical cyclone Yemyin brought torrential rains, massive flooding and high winds to Pakistan in late June. The rain was hampering rescue operations, though Presbyterian World Service & Development, through Church World Service Pakistan/Afghanistan and the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, has sent 1,000 food packages (composed of 80 kg of wheat flour, as well as rice, beans and oil) to 1,000 families. The packages provide a month's ration for a family of eight to 10 people. This is the first time CFGB funds have been used for an immediate disaster response.
“People have settled in makeshift spontaneous camps without sanitation facilities, clean water, or access to food,” said Guy Smagghe, PWS&D's program coordinator for Asia. “People just try to find a place where they can find temporary shelter until they can get a place of their own again.”
Stagnant, dirty water and rotting animal carcasses are causing health concerns in many parts of Pakistan. Because of this, plastic sheets for temporary shelters and to protect drinking water sources from further contamination will also be distributed. The Canadian government is also playing a role in PWS&D's contributions through CIDA matching funds.
A quick response is crucial in order to prevent outbreaks of disease — something that happens quickly in make-shift camps. While immediate needs are being met, further assessments continue, including evaluating the need for psychosocial support, health care, and eventually the rebuilding of homes and infrastructure.
If all goes according to plan, Smagghe hopes to travel with PWS&D director Ken Kim to Pakistan and Afghanistan sometime in November to survey the work taking place.
“Local partners know the areas well and know how to design an appropriate response to the people's needs. They also have contacts with suppliers who give them the best prices on the market so that every dollar's impact is maximized,” said Smagghe. “These partners send us updates on the situations and request our assistance for their response.”
Meanwhile, in southern China, more than 31 million people have been affected by seemingly neverending rains, causing flooding and mudslides. Thousands have lost their homes or have been evacuated, more than four million hectares of crops have been affected, and access to clean water is severely limited. Fleeing from their own flooded dwellings, millions of rats have overrun villages, destroying what crops are left. Schools, clinics and hospitals have also been washed out. As of July, 360 people had died, while economic losses climbed to nearly $1.4 billion.
PWS&D is helping 5,000 families recover from the crisis though the Amity Foundation by distributing rice, quilts, blankets and mosquito nets. Five water facilities will be rehabilitated, and five irrigation and flood prevention facilities will be built to help farmers resume production and help minimize their exposure to future floods. –AM with files from Church World Service Pakistan/Afghanistan and PWS&D
