Brief on Pakistan Floods 2010

Monsoon 2010 brought with it unprecedentedly abnormal rains in Pakistan resulting into countrywide massive and large scale flash flooding which is being termed as the worst ever flash flooding in the living memory of the entire region. This has mainly been on account of major and severe rain spells over Pakistan which have first hit country’s southern Province of Balochistan in the third week of July 2010, followed by a second spell of heavy monsoon rains over Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, commenced in the last week of July 2010 and persisted uptill first few days of August. These rains generated unprecedented flood flows in major, secondary and tertiary rivers including nullahs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), followed by Punjab and Sindh. Local rivers and nullahs of Balochistan also received unprecedent floods. Rivers Swat, Panjkora and Kabul in KPK in particular, experienced historic flood flows, besides river Indus at some of the control points in Punjab and Sindh.

Damages:

Updated damage figures indicate a total human death toll of 1,985 with 2,946 injured, 17 million people of 78 districts presently stand affected with over 100,000 Sq Km of area inundated by the flood waters including over 20,000 Sq Km of cultivated land. Road, bridge and rail network being the mainstay of communication links have been severely damaged besides colossal damage to the Housing Sector totaling 1,894,530 houses todate. A sizeable portion of livestock has been perished inflicting severe blow to the existing livelihood patterns of already marginalized communities who have lost their main and the only source of income and living. Likewise Health and Education sectors in the 79 affected districts have received major burnt of severe flash flooding. At present some 12,516 school facilities and 579 Medical Health facilities have been destroyed at the countrywide level.

Lifeline of country’s economy, the Irrigation Sector besides flood control network on Indus River Basin has also sustained huge loss due to some major breaches in river defense embankments prominently along main Indus river besides complete out flanking of some of the  Headworks like Munda Headworks on River Swat in KPK.

Besides the above and owing to deferred maintenance, a large number of breaches in the Indus River embankments (prominently including in the Left Marginal Bund of Taunsa Barrage, Rangpur Canal, Muzaffargarh Canal, Jampur Flood Bund (Punjab), breaches in Tori Flood Bund, Ghouspur Bund, Beghari Sindh Feeder Bund, Old Ghora Ghat Bund, Haibat Loop Bund, MNV Drain, Khirther Canal, Moolchand Shahbundar Bund and Manchar Lake in Guddu – Kotri down stream reach (Sindh) of Indus river) have resulted in widespread inundation, displacement of communities, damage to infrastructure etc.

Flood 2010 in Sindh- Situation Update

Last updated  June, 2011by PDMA, Sindh

Immediate Strategy by Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS), Sindh Branch

• On the basis of the geographical needs of the province, the Sindh Branch immediately established three Zonal offices in both sides of the river. (western and eastern sides of the river).
• Developed a strategy of operating north to south to avoid cross roads on the flooded river.
• This would also allow to PRCS, Sindh branch maintain the supply chain from Karachi.

Operational Areas

ZONAL OFFICE LARKANA (west side of the river)

• Jacobabad
• Shikarpur
• Kambar Shahdadkot
• Larkana
• Dadu

ZONAL OFFICE KHAIRPUR (east side of the river)

• Kashmor
• Ghotki
• Sukkur
• Khairpur
• Nohshero Feroz
• Nawabshah

ZONAL OFFICE HYDERABAD (east & west side of the river southern stream)

• Jamshoro
• Hyderabad
• Thatta

<  Control room was established and they were issuing Sit Reps to PHQ Control Room on a daily basis. >

Activities by Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS), Sindh Branch

• Sindh Branch responded immediately and conducted rapid assessment with the Fact team during initial five days of flood in Sindh. (Second week of August)
• The joint assessment team of PRCS and the FACT extensively travelled in the remote areas, however the team could not go further inside the villages as there was no accessibility due to water.
• Control room was activated in the PHQ.
• Daily Sit Rep was being sent to all concerned from control room of the PHQ.
• PRCS, Sindh Branch however immediately deployed our following teams in the field.

o   Assessment teams.

o   Relief Teams

o   Medical teams.

o   Water purification Plant team.

• Four Zodiac Boats were operational in Jacobabad & Khairpur.
• So far PRCS, Sindh Branch teams rescued more 100 persons from the danger to safe areas.
• PRCS, Sindh Branch had also provided medical and relief support through boats to the out reaches areas.

ASSISTANCE PROVIDED BY PRCS, SINDH BRANCH

FROM AUGUST 01, 2010 TO AUGUST 06, 2011

Total Families Reached:                      353065 HH

Other Red Cross/ Red Crescent Working (bilateral)

• Iranian Red Crescent worked in Thatta and Dadu in terms of Medical Support and distributed relief items.
• Malaysian Team has provided relief and medical support to the affected people in Dadu, Thatta and Karachi.
• German Red Cross is focusing in Dadu and Thatta and Providing Medical support through PRCS in shape of Mobile Medical Teams.
• GRC will be providing NFIs to 9000 families in Dadu.
• Danish Red Cross is also providing PSP support and CBHFA in Dadu.
• Turkish Red Crescent provided relief items to 23000 families in Dadu.