Relief drive launched in flood-hit districts

German Federal Foreign Office, others, launch rapid emergency response within 24 hours of the declaration of emergency

Our Correspondent July 14, 2022

A man looses his balance while crossing a flooded street during monsoon rain, as the outbreak of the coronavirus disease in Karachi on August 27, 2020. REUTERS

ISLAMABAD:

As the torrential rains and flash floods in Balochistan have killed dozens of people, including women and children, and over 150,000 population has been in need of humanitarian assistance the International Rescue Committee (IRC) has initiated response activities in Pishin and Quetta districts.

With the financial aid of German Federal Foreign Office, the IRC’s internal funds and support of its on-ground partner, the People’s Primary Healthcare Initiative (PPHI), the IRC has launched a rapid emergency response within 24 hours of the declaration of emergency, which is being implemented in close coordination with the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), Balochsitan, says a press release.

“To minimize the adversity caused by natural disasters, the relevant actors need to plan beyond the immediate response and work closely with geologists, environmentalists, and researchers to examine, assess, and review potential future climate risks to timely alert the decision-makers,” said Shabnam Baloch, IRCs Country Director.

She said, it is equally important to understand that natural calamities further aggravate the vulnerability of women and girls and so, any response or management efforts must be designed keeping their unique protection issues in mind.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 14^th, 2022.