UNITED NATIONS, Aug 29 (APP):The United Nations is set to launch a Flash Appeal of $160 million in support of Pakistan for the “immediate relief” of millions of people whose lives have been disrupted by devastating rains and floods in large parts of the country, a UN Spokesman said Monday.
Spokesman Stephane Dujarric told the regular noon briefing in New York that the appeal is going to be launched from Geneva, the headquarters of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and Islamabad on Tuesday.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will issue a special message to the international community on the occasion.
Meanwhile, the UN Country Team in Pakistan, led by the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Julien Harneis, is stepping up its response to severe rains and flooding which have killed over 1,000 people, including hundreds of children.
The spokesman said some 33 million people have been affected in 116 of the country’s 160 districts. Over 993,000 homes, 157 bridges and over 3,500 kilometres of roads have been damaged and over 700,000 livestock have been lost.
Many rivers and dams, he said, are at flood levels and the situation is expected to worsen with the ongoing heavy rainfall.
“We have already mobilized up to US$7 million including redirecting existing programmes and resources to meet the most urgent needs,” the spokesman said, noting that the ongoing assistance includes food aid and nutrition, medical supplies and services, safe water, maternal health support, vaccination of livestock and shelter,’ the spokesman said.
The UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has allocated US$3 million to the United Nations and partners to provide health, nutrition, food, water, sanitation and hygiene services in the flood-affected areas
“But much more is needed to help people cope with the worst floods Pakistan has ever seen,” Dujarric added.