Pakistan

Flood ‘14: UN chief offers help for flood victims in Pakistan

Ban Ki-moon praises govt’s efforts in providing relief to flood survivors

APP/our Correspondent September 22, 2014

UNITED NATIONS/ ISLAMABAD:

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon praised the government’s efforts in providing relief to flood-affected people across Pakistan and offered assistance.

“I wish to assure you that the United Nations is ready to provide assistance, if requested by your government,” Ban said in a letter to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

“I would like to extend my condolences to you and to the people of Pakistan for the loss of life and my deep regret for the destruction caused by recent floods,” he said.

Lauding the government’s efforts, Ban said the UN will play its role in extending assistance to people affected by the natural disaster. He assured the government that the UN stands ready to assist in responding to the needs created by the floods.

Roughly 1.84 million people across Pakistan have been affected by floods triggered by heavy monsoon rains. At least 346 people have been killed and 620 others have been injured in flood-related incidents, according to the latest figures released by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

Some 269 deaths have been reported from Punjab alone. Another 64 people have been killed in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) while 16 deaths have been reported from Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B).

According to the NDMA, floods have ravaged crops spread across 2.344 million acres of farmlands in Punjab, 2,048 acres in AJK and 712 acres in G-B. As many as 41,388 houses have been damaged in Punjab while another 6,281 have been damaged in AJK. Around 3,090 villages in Punjab, 187 villages in AJK and 127 villages in G-B have been affected, the NDMA data showed.

As many as 617,774 people have been evacuated from the flood affected areas in Punjab, where 62,706 camps have been established, according to NDMA. Another 65,583 people have been evacuated from 263 flood-hit villages in Sindh.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 22^nd, 2014.