Rain, Flood Updates Sep 7, 2011

Current Situation

The second round of the monsoon rains affected almost all the parts of Sindh province, displaced four million people, destroying standing season crops, like cotton, vegetables, sugarcane. Teams of Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF) visiting the affected areas in their separate reports observed the deplorable condition, in which the displaced families are living. Mostly the people have found roadsides and embankments safe to shift their families and animals. Road network either has destroyed or facing pressure of flooding water everywhere, especially the situation in Badin and Thatta, being located tail-end are is the worst. The team members went to assess the situation could not respond because of collapsed communication network in Thatta and Badin. The rains destroyed all mud houses in the entire suburbs and villages. The most horrible offshoot of current heavy rains especially into coastal belt of Sindh is the mushrooming of mosquitoes. The affected families desperately need mosquito’s nets. Government is indifferent to this need of people. The people remarked that the thing which has irritated them more is not rain but mushrooming of mosquitoes. Even Thatta city is gripped with the fear of sting of mosquitoes. Primary education is entirely disrupted in almost all the affected areas.

Districts affected include
Thatta
It has been raining continuously since Tuesday in Thatta district, pushing people to shift to safer places. There is no news about the families living at scattered islands near Keti Bunder, Kharo Chhan and Shah Bunder. PFF teams visited the areas observed no visibility of Government. No relief camps have been set up in Thatta district. The people living on their own under makeshift shelters are waiting to receive tents. Mosquitoes have created alarming situation for livestock in the entire area. There are unconfirmed reports about the death of animals due to shortage of fodder and mysterious diseases. Local people said have reported shortage of fodder because all the crops are inundated and people finding difficulties to bring fodder for their animals.
Jati, Thatta district
Jati is worst affected as the area received heavy rainfall during the first round, displaced several families. It is the fifth time in two years the people of Jati are facing displacement and hunger. Karo Gunghro drain, has been given artificial cut to discharge water into Jhabo lake, which reportedly inundated three villages of UC Kar Malik. Again the second round of the rain spell caused more problems of the people. Specially the affected people were crying of food shortage, unavailability of ration near there. Hundreds of people are still marooned into water. There is no news from far off villages, because of communication problem. Entire road networks have been damaged.
Badin
PFF teams observed that due to nonstop rains several villages have been inundated. There is no safe route for the people to shift to safer places. Four more breaches to Left bank Outfall Drainage (LBOD) has disrupted traffic on different major roads, linking the area with Karachi and Hyderabad cities. Since the entire villages have come under the rain and flood water there is no safe building like school where the displaced families may shift to take shelter.

Umerkot District
Current wave of heavy rain has destroyed 100% crops in almost entire cultivated area of the district. The district has become mosquito infested areas which has extremely increased the number of malaria cases. The local public healthcare facilities are full of malaria patients. Gastro and diarrhea are also being reported in villages. Two patients died of such diseases in Dhoro Naro on Tuesday. Neither the government authorities nor any NGO seems to do any emergency response in the district.

Jamshoro
People have lost their thatched houses in various areas of already affected by the last year flood. Entire standing crops were damaged though in some areas farmers were striving to dewater their agriculture land.

Manchar lake
The villages located near Manchar lake and its adjoining areas are also affected in the rainfall. PFF teams said 11 artificial cuts in Jhangara Sehwan link road have disconnected several villages from Sehwan and Indus highway. The families from villages near Jhanagara i.e Saddar Mallah, Haji Abdul Rehman Mallah moved towards schools in Jhangara town. While the villages like Shah Hasan, Pir Mashakh, Madni Mallah, Faizu Mallah have also lost their thatched houses. At the same time due to increase in water level and monsoon rainfall and wind people are in fear and not going in Manchar for fishing. The villages situated on RBOD drain Haroon Mallah, Qadir Bux Mallah, Khan Mohd Mallah have also lost houses and moved towards the embankment having no proper shelters. Fishing communities are unable to go for fishing due to increase in water level and heavy rainfall. The rain also hit hard to Taluka Kotri and Manjhand, where the people have shifted to safer places. Water is available along the roadsides where the displaced families have taken ordinary shelter.

Sanghar
In Sanghar heavy rains followed by breaches to drainage affected wide area. there are reports that the people in many areas are unable to receive water for drinking.

WATSAN
Lack of latrines is very serious issue into the affected areas that have made women to suffer more.

Government response
There is poor government response in almost all the areas where PFF teams visited like Thatta, Badin, Jamshoro.

Visible problems facing displaced families

• They do not have proper shelter
• The people cannot sleep at floors due to nonstop rains and wetness
• The people need fuel wood to prepare food at the places, where rain has made their live miserable
• There is fodder shortage
• Increase of diseases is another problem facing the people

Price of daily use items increased
Prices of daily use items, specially of food items have crossed, pushing people die of hunger. There is acute food shortage in the affected areas. Roads damages have pushed people to live in the grip fear and uncertainty with their families. Flour is being sold at 80 rupees per kg in Chhohar Jamali and other areas of Thatta districts.
Immediate Needs

• Tents
• Food
• Fuel wood
• Water
• Mosquito nets
• Fodder

PFF Response to emergency
PFF being already actively working with the people in the tail end Thatta, Badin, Jamshoro districts is working actively. The organization has put volunteers to help the marooned people in these areas. The volunteers have so far evacuated 1500 people in Thatta and Badin districts. The PFF teams are also into close coordination with district Government officials. PFF has established emergency response centers into Badin, Thatta and Jati, putting volunteers active.

PFF demand
PFF demands that Government should appeal to INGs because the scale of disaster has increased and may cause further destruction if it is delayed. There is acute shortage of food. People are compelled to use stagnant rain water, which has already mixed with drain water.