Flooding hits poor hardest in Pakistan

The poors especially women and children under the age of 10 were at high risk of dying because of different disease after the floods in Pakistan. Credits: Caritas Pakistan

The poors especially women and children under the age of 10 were at high risk of dying because of different disease after the floods in Pakistan.
Credits: Caritas Pakistan

By Mumtaz Bashir Bhatti, Caritas Pakistan 

Floods in Pakistan have displaced millions of people, destroyed billions of rupees worth of houses, killed many and washed away all belongings in rural communities from North to South.

Is this what global warming looks like? Many scientists think it is. If it was, it is very clear that women and children will be the most affected.

When I visited different parts of Southern Pakistan affected by the flood, I found that women and children under the age of 10 were at high risk, and many have been died because of different diseases.

There is no immediate food shortage in the country, as Pakistan had its bumper crop last season, but billions of acres of rice and pulse crops has been washed away, which may cause the shortage and high prices in next few months in the country.

The situation may deteriorate if farmers miss the winter sowing season, which will start in September and continue until November The loss of 200,000 cattle may give rise to a shortfall in dairy products.

The poor are suffering more. The marginalised communities living on the edges of the River Indus were already hand to mouth, so this flood will make them poorer and may lead towards many deaths in coming months.

There are also fears that if relief is not provided to these millions it could bring worse situation and threats towards peace in the country.

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