Pakistan floods: the road to Badin

CAFOD’s Monika Vrsanska recently visited Badin District in Sindh Province, Pakistan, which has been hit badly by this year’s floods.

Driving towards Badin, the road was the only piece of land above water. For miles, there was nothing but water as far as the eye could see, except sometimes abandoned buildings or a lonely tree peaking out. In towns and villages, we saw people struggling to move around, up to their waists in water. Many times we had to turn around and choose a different route as our four wheel drive vehicle could not pass.

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We kept passing families that had been forced to leave their flooded villages. They were staying with their children and surviving animals in makeshift tents by the side of the road. Some of the tents were made from sheets. Others could not be even called tents, just structures of scarves and scraps of plastic bags.  

These people had lost their homes, and now they were living in soaring 40 degree heat, with little shade, little food, sharing contaminated water with their animals.

At one point, approaching the area where our partner was working on providing food packs, a group of women with children, including a baby, stopped our car and asked for help. We were travelling without any supplies, but we did what we could, noting down where they were staying and promising to include them in the upcoming food distribution – these were obviously the poorest of the poor families in the area.

After three hours drive, we reached the village of Din Mohammed Comboh. We met with the village elders and discussed the situation in the village and beyond before and after the disaster. Then we ventured into the village to speak with the flood-affected families. The yards were often filled with multiple families as those whose houses collapsed under the heavy rains had joined the homes of relatives and friends.

People shared the little they had and were keen to hear when our food distribution would begin. One yard was abandoned except for one man, Ulam Mustafa, and a few of his animals. His house was completely destroyed, and the roof had collapsed. Ulam is living in a tent in his back yard. He told me that his wife and three children had left to find safety with relatives in Karachi. He did not know when he would see them next.  He seemed lonely, but ready to face the challenges.

“It rained for thirty days in a row,” said Ulam, “and there is still water all around the village. The level is falling by one inch a day. It will take two months to dry out completely, long enough for our harvests to rot – cotton, sugarcane, vegetables, rice.”

The loss of a year’s harvest will have a crippling effect on people like Ulam. Many will have to borrow money to survive, which could cause debt for generations to come.  Many will migrate to large cities to become a part of the fast growing unemployed underclass. To make matters worse, people are starting to get sick: sanitation systems, if existing previously, have completely broken down, and the water that they are using is polluted.

When the needs are so great, it can be hard to know where to start. Our partners are prioritising the most vulnerable people in flooded villages like Ulam’s, including widows who are looking after children, large families and people with disabilities. We’re delivering food, basic cooking utensils, jerrycans and soap. We have pledged £400,000 towards emergency relief.

After weeks of non-stop rain, the monsoon has come to an end. Thanks to the compassion of our supporters, our partners are on the ground, helping people to rebuild their lives. Please keep all those affected in your thoughts and prayers.

Posted by MonikaV

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