Flood relief efforts scale up as Ramadan begins

"World Vision is the only organisation that has a well-organised systematic process of identifying and distributing aid to the affected families in a peaceful environment. The families and the community appreciate such efforts", said two of the beneficiaries to World Vision programme staffer, Elisa Malnis, from the United Kingdom.

World Vision has also opened two new health facilities, including a clinic in Koto and a sub-centre in Khazana, both in Lower Dir. To date more than 1,100 patients have been treated for acute respiratory infections, skin infections and diarrhea at the five health facilities World Vision has opened in Lower Dir over the last two weeks.

However, continued bad weather continues to hamper the response.

“The communication network is a big problem for us .... we cannot access field teams when they are in the field during rains,” said Dr. Rasheed Ahmad, the Area Manager for Lower Dir. “Delivery of medicine is yet another big challenge we face in the wake of the damaged Khazana Bypass Bridge.”

The communication network is a big problem for us .... we cannot access field teams when they are in the field during rains The continued rains and fresh floods are creating a miserable start to Ramadan; the Islamic month of fasting, which begins Thursday. Although devastated and hungry, not observing the Ramadan fast is unimaginable for most people, especially in the KPK, which has been the hardest hit by floods.

Pakistan\'s deadly floods have now affected more than 14 million people in six areas of Pakistan: Baluchistan, Gilgit Baltistan, KPK, Pakistan-administered Kashmir, Punjab and Sindh, according to figures released by UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). An estimated six million people need food, according to OCHA.

Although devastated and hungry, not observing the Ramadan fast is unimaginable for most people Approximately 722,500 homes have been destroyed, 1.4m acres (557,000 hectares) of crop lands have been flooded and more than 10,000 cows have died, according to figures released by Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority.

Most of those affected by the flood have lost houses, belongings, crops and livestock, and are surviving on outside relief and occasional handouts while living in the open. Floodwaters continue to wreak havoc across Pakistan, devastating entire villages and damaging crops and livestock, as they now make their way into the southern province of Sindh.

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*Ramadan: is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating, drinking and sexual activities from dawn until sunset. Fasting is intended to teach Muslims about patience, humility and spirituality and is a time for Muslims to fast for the sake of God (Arabic: الله‎, trans: Allah) and to offer more prayer than usual.
(Source http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramadan)