Pakistan’s Call for Help

Photo: AP

Floods have devastated Pakistan in recent weeks leaving millions homeless and in need of emergency assistance.  About one third of Pakistan has now been affected by the floods – which have marooned hundreds of villages and destroyed power stations, roads and bridges – complicating relief efforts.  The toll of dead and injured is mounting daily, water-borne diseases are spreading, and international relief officials have said the pace of aid donations is still not sufficient to deal with what might be the nation’s worst disaster.

UN relief workers as well as aid workers from the NGO community continue to be overwhelmed by the scale of this crisis.  Estimates now range  from 15 to 20 million people being affected by the flooding.  Nearly 500,000 homes and 2-3 million acres of crops have been destroyed, and thousands of lives have been lost.  All of these figures continue to rise as a second wave of deaths are now being caused by water and insect-borne diseases such as cholera, typhoid and malaria.  The UN is warning that up to 3.5 million children could be in danger of contracting these deadly diseases.

It has been a highly unusual year for appeals on disaster relief (Haiti earthquake, Chilean earthquake and now, the floods of Pakistan), the Tides Relief & Reconstruction Fund provides a giving vehicle to support local and indigenous responses to these horrific natural disasters.   Your help is greatly needed to provide emergency support for people to rebuild communities and continue their work long after this disaster is past. Donate Now