Pakistan appeals for more aid as 400 children dead in floods

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday shared the information about the devastating floods and said that as many as 400 children have died due to the natural calamity.

Taking to Twitter, Shehbaz Sharif urged UNICEF and other international organizations to deal with the risks associated with children in the floods, ARY News reported.

"As a result of climate change, children are affected the most by flood disasters. Unfortunately, 400 children died, which is one-third of the total number of deaths. I appeal for help from UNICEF and other international organizations to save the lives of these children who are victims of water-borne diseases," he said in a tweet.

According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) report, which was published on Saturday, the death toll had climbed to 1,290 as 26 more deaths were reported.

Meanwhile, Pakistan government agencies and private NGOs continue with their relief operations described as a "humanitarian disaster of epic proportions".

Large parts of the country remain submerged - particularly the provinces of Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh in the south.

At least 180 people have died in Sindh followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (138) and Balochistan (125), reported Geo News.

At least, 1,468,019 houses have been partially or totally damaged, while 736,459 livestock have been killed due to the floods.

Aid has flowed in from a number of countries, with the first humanitarian assistance flight from France landing on Saturday morning in Islamabad, reported Geo News.

Initial estimates of the damage have been put at USD 10 billion, but surveys are still being conducted along with international organisations.

Federal Minister of Poverty alleviation and Social Safety Shazia Marri said 723,919 families have received Rs 25,000 cash relief (per family) and an amount of Rs 18.25 billion has been disbursed.

Earlier, United Nation said that 6.4 plus million people are in dire need of humanitarian aid.

Taking to Twitter, WHO Pakistan said that due to the ongoing severe floods in Pakistan, over 1,460 health facilities have been affected of which 432 were fully damaged.

Meanwhile, Pakistan State Finance Minister Aisha Ghous Pasha said that global lenders will be approached to rehabilitate flood-affected areas.

"We will complete estimates of damages from floods in two days," she said. The cash-strapped country is mulling another emergency loan days after it managed to secure the much-needed bailout package from IMF to avert an imminent default.

Estimates suggest that devastating floods in Pakistan might have caused nearly Rs 2.5 trillion (Pakistani rupees) in losses, The Express Tribune newspaper reported. The initial assessment says the economic growth rate could slow down to just 2 per cent in the current fiscal year.

"Our team is also helping to assess the damage caused by floods to draw up plans to support longer-term rehabilitation efforts and strengthen communities' climate resilience," Asian Development Bank (ADB) Country Director for Pakistan Yong Ye said.