Update from VSO in Pakistan following monsoon floods

18/08/2010 00:01:00

VSO's response to the disaster

VSO immediately contacted all its partner organisations to check their status. Only one organisation, the Participatory Welfare Organization (PWO) in the District Layyah Punjab Province, was badly affected. Their areas of work are near the bank of River Indus. The sudden water surge in the river destroyed hundreds of villages. PWO is a very active relief organisation and started the rescue efforts by arranging rescue boats.

VSO also works closely with the National Volunteer Movement (NVM), a government body. Its national volunteers moved immediately to provide support to rescue work in Peshawar city and in northern areas.

NVM mobilised their volunteers to man the various collection points for relief goods and distribution to needy people. They have been providing cooked food to people in Peshawar, and have made a plan to arrange a crash course for local people of affected areas in coordinating the relief activities and managing the relief operations. In the next phase VSO will help identify people through our resource bank to provide training in damage assessment at various locations.

Now the flash flood have receded, there is fear of the looming threat of epidemics, such as malaria or cholera caused by standing slush in the affected low-lying areas.