Pakistan Floods - ICRC Response 2010

16 September 2010 - Pakistan is experiencing its worst monsoon flooding in at least 80 years. Government estimates put the number of people affected by the floods at 21 million. Millions of people have been displaced and over 1.8 million houses have been either damaged or destroyed. Assessments to establish the degree to which affected populations are in need of immediate humanitarian assistance continue. CIDA is supporting the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in partnership with the Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) to distribute essential household items including hygiene items and shelter material to 50 000 households (350 000 people) to supply drinking water to 40 000 people and to support primary healthcare via fixed and mobile clinics and local health facilities. In addition the PRCS and the ICRC are working together to respond to the need for restoring family links (RFL) countrywide. Trained RFL volunteers are undertaking rapid RFL assessments to enable flood victims to contact relatives immediately.