Devastating floods in Pakistan – UNICEF

Around 33 million people, including approximately 16 million children, have been affected by this year’s heavy monsoon rains in Pakistan, which have brought devastating rains, floods and landslides. Some major rivers have breached their banks and dams have overflowed, destroying homes, farms and critical infrastructure including roads, bridges, schools, hospitals and public health facilities.

There are reports of significant damage to education infrastructure with thousands of schools damaged or destroyed. After two years of pandemic school closures in the last few years, children once again risk further disruption to their learning, in areas where one-third of girls and boys were already out-of-school before the crisis. Meanwhile, cases of diarrhoea and water-borne diseases, respiratory infection, and skin diseases have already been reported.

The perilous humanitarian situation is expected to continue to worsen in the days and weeks ahead as heavy rains continue in regions already underwater. Many of the hardest-hit areas are amongst the most vulnerable in Pakistan, where children already suffer from high rates of malnutrition, and poor access to water and sanitation. Most of the affected districts have seen public health facilities damaged, medicines destroyed by the floods, and many health workers displaced from their homes. The risk of waterborne diseases is high, including cholera.

Climate-related crises will not affect everyone equally. Children will suffer more than adults, with those in the poorest communities bearing the biggest burden.

UNICEF is providing life-saving medical equipment, essential medicines, vaccines and safe delivery kits for people who have lost their homes and now live out in the open.

In these difficult times, your support can save lives. Your contribution can help UNICEF reach more children and families with critical, urgent and life-saving supplies.