Worst Monsoon Floods For 80 Years Hit Pakistan

All in all it’s been a pretty troubling week for the state of Pakistan. First off the UK Prime Minister David Cameron this week caused an international diplomatic hoo-ha, by telling the world’s media that Pakistan was a nation of terrorists. After that the country’s prized cricket team got well and truly smashed by England in the first test. Jimmy Anderson took a 10 wicket haul at Trent Bridge which finished the game, knocking Pakistan for 80 all out in the second innings. However, in the grand scheme of things a media scrum and a sports event are completely meaningless, compared to death and destruction caused by the continuing Pakistan Floods.

Four days ago the annual monsoon rains began to fall in northern Pakistan. Unfortunately, for the country and the inhabitants of its northern province a record 312mm of rain fell in a single 36hour period. The amount of rainfall recorded would normally be witnessed throughout an entire month during the monsoon season, but this year within a day and a half the city of Peshawar was inundated with water, causing the worst floods for 80 years.

Aid workers and charity organizations estimate that up to 2.5m people have been affected by the torrential downpour. Over 1,100 people are already believed to have lost their lives during the Pakistan floods as bridges, roads and house were swept away by surging torrents and out of control currents. Large parts of the Khyber-Pakhtoonkhwa province in northern Pakistan are virtually unreachable, a massive relief effort led by the army has so far managed to rescue 28,000 people, but it is feared that another 30,000 are still cut off by the floods.

A number of UK based charities have already swung into action across the worst hit areas of Pakistan. Oxfam the international agency has launched a rapid relief effort which intends to provide fresh water, sanitation kits and hygiene supplies to over 400,000 people. To donate to the Pakistan Flood appeal through Oxfam follow the link.