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“Without this food some people would have died, and some people would have become sick because of their weakened condition. Some people would have had to leave their lands and go to a city to beg for food or would have turned to illegal activities such as crime or smuggling to get food for their families.” ~ a man from the district of the food distribution
“The area has much naturally salty underground and surface water. Before their wells were repaired, the people were forced to use the salt water for drinking and other purposed and were having diarrhea and other negative results from the salt water. Since having badly rains and flood no one from government side helped them out… The donation for well work was un expected to them, as [we] gave them this news they had no words to pay thanks … for finding this donation.” ~ a local leader in one of the water wells project areas
Recovery Phase of the cyclone relief work begins – February update
Recovery Phase
In December, in cooperation with our partners who live in the region, we built a base camp from which to carry out two large-scale recovery activities. (See below for how you could help meet other important needs.)
We distributed 855 goats and sheep to families who lost their animals in the flood.
We repaired 175 water wells that were damaged or destroyed in the flooding. The top two photos at left are of a well destroyed when flooding filled it with mud and a new well we installed soon after the flood.
Background
On Tuesday, June 26th, a cyclone (the Indian Ocean & South Pacific version of a hurricane), named Yemyin, hit the Arabian Sea coast of Pakistan, bringing high winds, sea surges, and heavy rains. The area most affected is from Karachi west to the Iran border, and from the coast hundreds of miles inland. The damage from the storm itself and the flooding that followed the heavy rains have affected two and a half million mostly poor people, with approximately 400,000 homeless. As of early September, over two months later, food and drinking water were still in short supply. Decomposing bodies of livestock have polluted wells, and diseases are sweeping through the population. Not many people lost their lives. . . only their homes and their livelihoods.
The average nightly low temperatures in these areas are: December 29F; January 28F; February 31F. Many of the homeless in some areas we are serving are temporarily sheltering in the tents they use when they follow their summer herd migrations, which are not adequate nor intended for winter conditions. This is in an area where the income per person is $90 a year.
Initial Response
Our goal is to reach some of the most remote and/or underserved villages. (The map shows the five areas of our relief work.)
In the Relief Phase, from June to November, we reached 1,943 families:
837 families received food rations;
1,086 families restored access to drinking water;
20 families received roofing materials.
One of our food distributions was to an area so remote that the only way to get the food there was by camel – even before the flooding there were no roads in. This area doesn’t seem to be on the government’s radar to provide any assistance.
The local church is doing its best to help people, even though many of them also lost homes and livestock in the storm. One local friend who went in to help reports that the local church men are going without sleep at times to help others. There is much to be done. They need your prayers.
How You Could Help
Our goal is to reach some of the most remote and/or underserved villages. (The map shows the five areas of our relief work. The photos at left are of flood damage.)
We are seeking funds to provide the following flood recovery assistance:
1,410 families with sewing tools
1,700 families with food
1,410 families with blankets
2,016 families with housing rebuilding
2,535 families with roofs replacement
1,410 families with clothing
2,190 families with crop seeds
Walls reconstruction for schools serving 315 families.
(The photos and map on this page are links to larger images)