ShelterBox response to monsoon which sees thousands of people displaced
A team from the Cornwall based charity, ShelterBox, is currently in Pakistan following severe monsoon flooding in the north of the country.
Tens of thousands of people have been adversely affected by the disaster. Pakistan’s monsoon season always brings heavy rain but this year’s storms have been unusually intense.
The country’s seen rare cloudbursts where sudden downpours have dumped more than 100mm of rain in just one hour. This has triggered flash floods in the northwest, sweeping through mountain villages and causing widespread destruction.
‘Local communities are used to monsoon rains, but the intensity and speed of these cloudbursts caught people off guard – destroying homes and sweeping away entire villages,’ says Haroon Altaf, ShelterBox Regional Director.
‘Homes have been crushed by flood water and landslides. People have described watching everything they own being washed away or buried.’
Another team from ShelterBox will arrive in Islamabad in the coming days to work closely with Islamic Relief Pakistan (IRP) on how best to support people displaced.
‘We’re getting ready to respond with emergency shelter, which families urgently need,’ adds Haroon.
‘We have shelter and other essential items available in Pakistan and Dubai so we’re ready to respond in these moments, given how vulnerable the country is to extreme weather and other disasters.’
Homes have been crushed by flood water and landslides. Image: Islamic Relief Pakistan
‘This disaster highlights Pakistan’s vulnerability to climate change’
It’s peak monsoon season and more heavy rain is expected, so the charity is focusing on what people need and where that need is highest.
There’s been significant damage to homes, roads, and crops, though the full extent of the damage is not yet clear and ShelterBox teams are gathering as much information as they can.
‘We’ll be looking at shelter repair kits, which include items like tarpaulins and rope, so people can make temporary repairs to damaged homes.’
‘People also need items like water filters, water carriers, and mosquito nets, especially with the increased risk of disease after flooding. August – November is the season for dengue and malaria in these areas.’
Flash floods have swept through mountain villages causing widespread destruction. Image: Islamic Relief Pakistan.
The monsoon season in Pakistan typically runs from July to September with peak rainfall usually occurring in August.
Since late June, there have been heavier than usual monsoon rains. Hundreds of people have been killed by flash floods or house collapses, and the death toll is expected to rise.
Thousands of homes have been damaged or destroyed. Livestock and crops have been lost.
Many villages are built on steep slopes and riverbanks which are prone to landslides and flash floods. Experts say deforestation and loose terrain increase the risk faced by the country’s inhabitants.
‘It faces increasingly extreme weather events that threaten lives and homes’
‘This disaster highlights Pakistan’s vulnerability to climate change as extreme weather becomes more frequent and more intense.’
‘Though it contributes less than 1% of global emissions, it faces increasingly extreme weather events that threaten lives and homes – especially in remote, mountainous areas.’
ShelterBox specialises in the provision of emergency shelters which help to support people uprooted from their homes by disasters, conflict and climate crisis.
The charity’s teams have responded to severe flooding in Pakistan (2022) along with flooding (2012) and an earthquake (2013).
The charity is also responding to situations requiring its assistance in Burkin Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Somalia, Gaza, Myanmar and Yemen.
Breaktime News has previously reported on ShelterBox providing assistance in Bangladesh following the aftermath of Cylone Remal.
