Pakistan: 2022 Flash Floods - Situation Report No. 02: As of 12 August 2022

HIGHLIGHTS

• Over 1 million people affected by heavy rains and floods across Pakistan, including 580 people killed and 939 injured.

• Resurgence of strong monsoon currents and increased thunderstorms are forecast across Pakistan until 19 August, mostly affecting areas in the south. Chenab river is reportedly currently in high flood at Khanki, and additional rains may cause riverine flooding downstream in the coming weeks.

• A rapid multi-sectoral needs assessment has been launched in the 10 most affected districts of Balochistan, to enable a more informed and effective humanitarian response for people in need.

• The Government of Pakistan has exempted all local NGOs that have filed applications with Economic Affairs Division (EAD) from having to sign MoUs with the EAD to conduct flood relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction activities in flood-affected provinces across the country for six months (August 2022 to February 2023).

SITUATION OVERVIEW

Pakistan has received over 60 per cent of its total normal monsoon rainfall in just three weeks since the start of the monsoon season in July. Heavy rains have resulted in urban and flash floods, landslides, and Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOF) across the country, particularly affecting Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Sindh provinces.
More than 1 million people have reportedly been affected, mostly in Sindh (436,000 people), Balochistan (360,000 people) and Punjab (119,000 people) provinces. Compared to pre-monsoon levels, rainfall has increased by 267 per cent in Balochistan and 183 per cent in Sindh, causing substantial damage to lives, infrastructure and livelihoods.

According to Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), as of 9 August the severe adverse weather has resulted in the deaths of at least 580 people, including 224 children and 114 women, while 939 people were injured, including 194 children and 273 women. Nearly 23,000 people have reportedly been displaced from their homes – around 8,200 in Sindh, 7,000 in Balochistan, 4,700 in Punjab and 3,000 in KP. Floodwaters and debris flows have also blocked bridges, rail networks and roadways, restricting overland travel in and around affected areas. Since 14 June, some 50,000 houses have reportedly been damaged, including around 10,500 completely, as have 3,000 kilometres of road, 42 shops and 119 bridges.

Some 107,000 livestock (including some 29,000 large ruminants) have perished as a result of the floods, according to the NDMA. A key livelihood source in Balochistan, livestock are also an important means of sustenance, with animal products utilised for daily food consumption. Furthermore, the Pakistan Food Security and Agriculture Working Group (FSAWG) estimates that more than 1,000 animal shelters have been damaged, and that over 1 million acres of crops have been affected by the recent floods. The recent Integrated Phase Classification (IPC) analysis of acute food insecurity projects over 955,000 people being food insecure in the flood-affected areas of Balochistan between July and November 2022 (IPC Phase 3 and Phase 4): some 594,000 people in districts fully affected by the floods (Gwadar, Nushki, Pangur, Pishin, Washuk and Zhob) and around 362,600 people in partially flood-affected districts (Kech, Karan and Loralai).

The floods are also expected to intensify health challenges, as some 103 health facilities are reportedly damaged in eight districts of Balochistan alone. Compounding the inhibited access to healthcare, demand for health services is expected to rise due to increased cases such as of Acute Watery Diarrhoea (AWD), respiratory tract infections (RTI), Malaria, skin infections, snake bites and injuries. The largest national nutrition survey conducted in Pakistan, the 2018 National Nutrition Survey (NNS 2018), found that more than 55 per cent of the population does not follow safe hygiene practices, and practices such as open defecation – already practiced by some 30 per cent of people prior to the ongoing floods, according to a Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) – are expected to increase. Additionally, preliminary estimates suggest that some 20 per cent of the drinking supply systems in Balochistan were damaged in the floods, reducing access to safe and clean water.

Humanitarian partners are working together with national and provincial disaster management authorities, the Pakistan Army and the Frontier Corps to conduct rescue and relief activities in the affected areas. The Government of Pakistan has identified Food Security, Agriculture and Livestock; Health; Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH); and Shelter and NonFood Items (NFI) as priority needs for the immediate flood response. On 5 August, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced the release of PKR 5 billion (US$22.7 million) to support the flood victims, as well as the creation of a relief fund for flood-affected people to which the public can donate. NDMA and the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) are leading the humanitarian response across various affected provinces, and as of 11 August have provided cumulatively more than 53,000 tents, 85,510 food packs, 66,758 mosquito nets, 25,941 tarpaulins and other relief items to affected people. Most of the relief items have been distributed in affected districts in Balochistan and Sindh.

With the support of the UN and its partners, Balochistan PDMA has launched a rapid multi-sectoral needs assessment in the province’s 10 most affected districts, which is ongoing at time of publication. This is coordinated with other relevant parties to avoid duplications and ensure complementarity between this rapid assessment and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and World Bank (WB) damaged needs assessment (DNA). The assessment also pays particular attention to protection, gender-based violence (GBV) and gender dimensions given the heightened risks during emergencies, and these dimensions will also be mainstreamed in response efforts.

While supporting the government’s response to the existing humanitarian situation, the UN and its partners are continuing to monitor the impact of further weather events in coordination with local and national authorities, including the Federal Flood Commission (FFC) and the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD). The PMD’s Flood Forecasting Division projects a resurgence of strong monsoon currents and increased thunderstorms across Pakistan from approximately 10 to 19 August, conditions which may intensify flooding and storm damage, further increasing the need for humanitarian aid.