Pakistan: Over Half of Flood-related Deaths are Children as Heavy Rains Displace Thousands

Floods and heavy rains have killed more than 150 children in Pakistan since the start of the monsoon season in July, making up over half of all deaths, said Save the Children.[1] 

Over 200 children have been injured in incidents caused by rain or floods, which have forced thousands of people from their homes. In Sanghar district in Sindh province, nearly 10,000 people have been displaced after a canal overflowed. About 2,600 are now living in a relief camp in a school—60% of them are children—with others living in the open next to their destroyed or damaged homes.[2] 

A Save the Children assessment in the most flood affected parts of Sanghar found a severe shortage of clean water, with many sources contaminated by human and animal excrement. Some villages in Sanghar are still cut off by snake infested floodwaters and only accessible by boat. More than nine out of 10 people surveyed said that mosquito transmitted diseases, such as malaria and dengue, are their biggest health concerns, with 75% worried about waterborne diseases, like diarrhea.[3]

Three-quarters of people assessed said they were selling household assets to buy food. The rains and floods have destroyed 80% of cotton crops in Sanghar, the primary source of income for farmers, and killed hundreds of livestock.
Girls in Sanghar told Save the Children that personal safety and security was their top concern in the aftermath of the floods, with some worried about a potential increase in gender-based violence. 
Aisha* said: “We need food, water, and a safe place to sleep. My school is flooded, so we can’t go to class. I miss playing with my friends. I hope the flood goes away soon"

Save the Children is working with a local partner, HANDS, to support children and adults affected by the floods in Sanghar. The child rights organization is providing items including tents, household and hygiene kits for displaced families and has deployed mobile health and nutrition teams to deliver primary healthcare and screen children for malnutrition. Children in Sanghar will also have dedicated safe spaces where they can continue to learn through play-based activities and receive mental health support. Save the Children plans to expand its response to other areas in Sindh and Balochistan, which need urgent assistance. 

Khuram Gondal, Country Director, Save the Children in Pakistan, said: 
“Children are always the most affected in a disaster. Families have yet again lost homes and livelihoods—some of the same areas that were hit by devastating floods just two years ago are again under water.  Children need urgent assistance—they need clean water, protection from mosquito borne diseases, and safe spaces where they can play and learn. 

“We need to ensure that the immediate impacts of the floods and heavy rains do not become long term problems. In Sindh province alone, more than 72,000 children have seen their education disrupted.[4] Governments must tackle the underlying causes of these climate driven disasters, including channeling funding and support to children and their families in Pakistan to adapt, recover, and rebuild their lives.”

Save the Children has been working in Pakistan since 1979 and was the first international NGO to respond to the 2022 floods emergency. As of the end of July 2024, the child rights organization has reached more than 1.1 million people in flood-affected areas, including more than 568,000 children. 

Save the Children has programs addressing children’s needs for food security, education, health, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene.  In Sindh province, Save the Children continues to support affected families through the distribution of cash, health and nutrition treatment, and livelihood recovery programs. 

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Notes:
*denotes name changed to protect identity
[1] Figures correct as of September 1, 2024https://reliefweb.int/report/pakistan/ndma-monsoon-2024-daily-situation-report-no-63-1-september-2024
[2] UN OCHA Joint Observatory Mission-District Sanghar, August 21, 2024
[3] https://reliefweb.int/report/pakistan/pakistan-rapid-needs-assessment-district-sanghar-sindh-august-2024
[4] https://reliefweb.int/report/pakistan/pakistan-monsoon-2024-flash-update-7-latest-monsoon-developments-and-response-efforts-02-september-2024

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