Urgent appeal launched to help many affected by the floods in Pakistan

Image by NDTV File

Disaster has struck Pakistan after millions of people have been affected by the severe floods.

As a result, the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) has now launched an urgent appeal, with fifteen UK charities including the British Red Cross and Oxfam seeking donations from the public as the water levels in the country continue to rise.

The DEC has said that people have been living without any clean water, food or shelter.

It has also been reported that since June, around 1,136 people have died due to the floods.

UK’s Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, who is competing against ex-chancellor Rishi Sunak to become the next prime minister, said the country will support Pakistan and would do all it could to send life-saving aid to the most vulnerable.

The UK Government has pledged funds of up to £10 million which will be distributed to international aid agencies to facilitate access to clean water, sanitation and shelter, and to protect women and girls. The money is being donated with the intention to help families rebuild their homes and lives.

The government also said that it will match pound-for-pound the first £5m raised by the DEC appeal.

DEC’s chief executive Saleh Saeed said, “The scale of these floods has caused a shocking level of destruction – crops have been swept away and livestock killed across huge swathes of the country, which means hunger will follow.”

He also said that he understands the appeal comes during a tough time for many Britons as the country is currently gripped by the cost of living crisis, but has urged people to donate whatever they can.

With more than a third of the country completely submerged under water, a separate appeal has also been launched by the United Nations to raise £138m to provide aid to the most vulnerable.

In a report by the BBC, the chief executive of the human rights body, Antonio Guterres, said the country was facing “a monsoon on steroids”, and urged people to donate funds to help those suffering in the “climate crisis hotspot”.

In a video message, Guterres added, “Let’s stop sleepwalking towards the destruction of our planet by climate change. Today, it’s Pakistan. Tomorrow, it could be your country.”