Pakistan had been affected by floods in late July 2010 
where nearly 3 weeks of prodigious rainfall brought by monsoon winds inundated one-fifth of the nation. Flood waters spread and affected 160,000 square kilometres and only began receding in late August 2010. This disrupted the lives of more than 20 million people out of its 175 million population. This is the worst flood in Pakistan’s history where its people live in abject poverty. Assessment of the damage brought by the floods is revealed to be greater than the combined effects of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, 2005 Pakistan earthquake and Haitian earthquake.
Damage and loss in the 2010 Pakistan floods
The Manila-based Asian Development Bank (ADB) is offering Pakistan US$2 billion for rebuilding efforts within Pakistan.The World Bank also promised to extend a loan of US$900 million to facilitate its reconstruction initiatives given the intense situation where more than 4 million Pakistanis are left homeless and 8 million are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. The funds are also crucial in the rebuilding of roads, bridges, power lines, housing, medical and sanitation facilities. The assessment of ADB revealed that more than 2.500 schools, 175 health centres and 1,000 water supply facilities are damaged. It is an imperative to provide food, clean water and basic shelter for the victims but few receive help due to the financial restraints of Pakistan, poverty among the people and the paucity of international goodwill. The economy is further impaired with the damage that the floodwaters had brought to the agricultural industry, which killed livestock and inundated croplands.
With limitations in its financial capacity, Pakistanis face problems such as absence of sanitation and clean water supplies, overcrowded living conditions and the proliferation of diseases such as cholera, diarrhoea and malaria even after the receding of floodwaters. Despite the aid and loan offered by nations and international organisations, Pakistan would require a long period to recover from the ill effects of the floods.
References:
- The Straits Times. (August 20, 2010). ADB pledges $2.7b to rebuild nation
- http://www.criticalthreats.org/pakistan/floods-pakistan-maps-graphs-and-key- data-august-23-2010#districts
- http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2010/10/13/pakistan-flood-estimate-103.html
