US Consul General in Karachi visited the flood-affected areas of Tando Allahyar on Wednesday and distributed shelter kits and non-food items for the families displaced by flooding. The USAID, through the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), has provided emergency shelter kits and non-food items for almost 26,000 families throughout the province. These kits include sleeping mats, blankets, rope, plastic sheets, a hygiene kit, and a kitchen-set to provide families with necessary shelter and equipment to start to rebuild their homes once the flood waters recede.
“My visit to Tando Allahyar is to see firsthand the conditions of the people of Sindh displaced by the flooding. Let me assure you that Americans care about the plight of the Pakistani people and the US government is responding,” the US diplomat said. He said that the response from the American people has been consistent with their humanitarian values and deep commitment to Pakistan. “Then and now, the US stands firmly committed to assisting Pakistani people in times of natural disasters.” Martin said that the US assistance is helping to provide food, water, medical attention, and shelter to over 1 million victims across the province. “The US will also work with Pakistan over the long-term to help improve its resilience to natural disasters so that future crises can be averted.”
He said that American disaster experts are in the Pakistan, and he was pleased to be joined by officials of the IOM and the District Coordination Office Tando Allahyar providing critical support to the flood survivors. “Be assured that we will continue to closely monitor the situation.”
According to the USAID data, the US has provided 9,000 tonnes of rice to the World Food Programme that is helping to meet the immediate food needs of 1.2 million people affected by the floods for one month. Besides, to help respond to outbreaks of disease in flooded areas, the US is funding mobile health clinics that have already provided health services to well over one million people.
The US is also supporting water, sanitation, and hygiene programmes in Sindh, benefiting more than 280,000 flood survivors. The US is providing safe drinking water and other hygiene items such as soap and buckets to help prevent water-borne illnesses.