2010-10-30 14:01:50

More resources urgently needed for Pakistan flood relief efforts, UN stresses


(October 30, 2010) United Nations humanitarian agencies Friday called for urgent additional resources for the flood relief efforts in Pakistan, warning that millions are at risk of not having enough food, shelter and warm clothing as winter approaches. Martin Mogwanja, UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Pakistan, has cautioned that emergency food supplies for flood-affected people will run out in December unless additional resources are received. With winter on the way, seven million people still do not have adequate shelter or quilts, blankets and warm clothing, according to the UN Officer. The $2 billion appeal for aid for Pakistani flood victims, the largest-ever launched by the UN and its partners for a natural disaster, is currently 39 per cent funded. Humanitarian assistance, notably in Sindh province, where 7.2 million people remained affected by the floods, was vital ahead of the winter. The water has receded in some places, but it might take more than six months before other areas dried up. It is reported that one million people are living in temporary shelters or in camps in Sindh, but the humanitarian aid pipeline is being restricted due to a lack of contributions, notably in the food sector. The agency’s spokesperson, Adrian Edwards, said those hardest hit by the flooding – people affected by extreme poverty, loss of livelihoods and other vulnerabilities – might need camp accommodation even longer. Director-General Margaret Chan also launched a polio programme in northern Pakistan and visited diarrhoea treatment and nutrition centres in Sindh province. Dengue fever and new cases of polio are also appearing in some parts of the country, he said.







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