In September 2014, Pakistan was hit by massive and destructive floods for the fourth consecutive yea...

In September 2014, Pakistan was hit by massive and destructive floods for the fourth consecutive year.

More than 300 deaths were reported in Pakistan as post-monsoon floodwaters swept through Indian- administered Kashmir - where a similar death toll was reported – through Azad Kashmir and south into Pakistan.

It was the worst flooding to hit Pakistan in four years and affected more than 2 million people, destroying infrastructure and thousands of homes. Villages were submerged, power lines brought down and properties swept away in landslides.

The state of Punjab, the country’s agricultural powerhouse, was particularly affected. More than 18,000 people were evacuated from their homes and taken to relief camps while 1,500 people were rescued by troops using helicopters and boats. Hundreds of villages were hit and as well as buildings and properties thousands of people saw their farming livelihoods destroyed.

In the immediate aftermath of the floods, Islamic Help teams in Pakistan provided emergency aid with food, water and medical help to thousands of families.

The emergency relief operation included the distribution of food packs and cooked food to 1,050 beneficiaries in the Jhang District in Punjab in the days after the floods. The Islamic Help team travelled to affected areas, purchased and packed the food before distribution.

More than 300 families were provided with 25kg food hampers with essentials including:

• flour (10kg)
• sugar (2.5kg)
• roasted chick peas aka daal chana (3kg
• cooking oil (2kg)
• soap and detergent, matches and jerry cans.

As well as the hampers, cooked food was also provided to residents in the villages or areas of Masan, Basti Patan and Pir Kot.

In addition, clean water was supplied via our Nomad filtration trucks and medical help given by doctors and paramedics in an inflatable hospital to thousands of people in Pir Kot.

At least 60,000 gallons of clean water was distributed daily, while 900 patients were seen in just three days by doctors and paramedics in the temporary hospital.

As well as the emergency response, long term programmes being drawn up by Islamic Help include reconstruction of housing; drainage and water provisions; restoration of agriculture – the floods destroyed nearly 2 million acres of crops - and support to farmers and families to rebuild their livelihoods.