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Reuters
Pakistan.JPG
Reuters
World News

Tearfund appeals for help as floods cover a third of Pakistan

by Sophie Drew

As floods ravage almost a third of Pakistan in what the United Nations is calling 'a monsoon on steroids', the country is urgently appealing for help. 

An international appeal has been launched to raise £136-million for the relief effort.

So far, more than 1,100 people have been killed because of the disasters.

Doctors say they're now frequently treating deadly waterborne diseases.

Terrill Massey, programme manager responding to the floods in Pakistan for Christian charity Tearfund, told Premier: "33 million people have been impacted by the flooding in Pakistan. 

"That's 15% of our population, but the equivalent to nearly half the population of the UK.

"A third of the country is flooded and over 6 million people have seen their homes completely or partially destroyed.

"People are on the roads without shelter and food. 

"Many have lost their belongings, life savings, livestock and standard crops and they're now facing the prospect of disease outbreaks due to the standing water."

"I think we'd like to see governments give more money to civil society organizations. So we'd like to see organizations like Tearfund being able to get money so that we can go and contribute effectively to helping people overcome their suffering and their problems."

The charity has been working with families affected by the flooding, helping them to avoid diseases or find food. 

" We're giving them drinking water mosquito nets, and we're pumping standing water out of affected areas," Terrill said. "So far, we've supported 1500 families that's about 11 and a half 1000 individuals with food and non-food items."

It's thought the changing climate is to blame for the ongoing flooding - Terrill agrees. 

"What we're seeing is that the weather is just not normal," he continued. "The spells of rain, their intensity is extremely different from what we've seen before. 

"...It's just unusually harsh and heavy monsoon rains and in cities where it tends to rain hardly for a few minutes. It's been raining all day and all night."

 
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