(Aug.05,2010) Caritas Pakistan says it has finalized plans to provide much-needed
relief to 2,500 families hard hit by one of the worst floods in Pakistan’s history.
“Our assessment teams have submitted their reports. We shall start providing food
items, tents and medical aid next week,” said Anila Jacolin Gill, national executive
secretary of Caritas Pakistan, in a press statement on Wednesday. “There is a desperate
need to alleviate the considerable suffering without any distinction of caste, creed
or ethnic origin,” said Bishop Victor Gnanapragasam of Quetta apostolic vicariate.
According to Caritas, the Catholic Church’s social service agency, badly affected
areas include Islamabad-Rawalpindi and Multan dioceses, as well Quetta vicariate.
Oblate Father Rukmono from Sibi in Quetta has appealed for help. “Although there is
no Christian family in my village, we have to help all those affected to the best
of our ability” he said. More rain and damaged roads are hampering rescue efforts
in the district, he added. Nowshehra is the worst flood-hit district in Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa province where many people are encamped along the main highway. Similarly,
several districts in southern Punjab province where Multan diocese is situated are
in need of urgent relief and medicines. Caritas Multan staff there have reported
an outbreak of waterborne disease. The organization blames the floods on global warming.