From the Partnership for Global Justice(Note: This is a vivid portrayal of daily life in Pakistan for families right now. Please take the time to read and pray -- and, perhaps, donate.)
Michelle Neukirchen of Catholic Relief Services tells us:
I just returned from the CRS office in Besham. We've worked in this area of Pakistan continuously since the 2005 earthquake. The purpose of my visit was to support our team as they plan further flood response efforts, especially in the areas of water, infrastructure and hygiene.
The difficulty of moving from one location to another: In one area we visited, the entire length of road connecting villages to the local market was washed away. We hiked from the market to the village, and although it was only three kilometers (less than two miles) away, it took us over two hours to reach the community. We had to climb over boulders and scramble over loose rocks.
It's important that roads are rebuilt in the north as quickly and safely as possible. People had to travel long distances for food and medical care before the floods—now those journeys are more difficult, and may be impossible for someone who is very ill. We also have to remember that some people depend on getting to markets to make a living, so the limited access has become an income issue as well.
Some families are taking shelter in local schools. People do have extended families, so many are staying with relatives. A few families even had leftover materials from the 2005 earthquake, such as tents and tarps, and they were able to grab them before the floodwaters rose.
We saw some women carrying children out walking with their husbands toward the market. Women don't leave the household very often, for cultural reasons, so if you do see a woman walking, it's likely for a serious reason. The biggest impact on women is collecting water. Tap stands are no longer working so they have to collect water further from home, which compromises their privacy. Now families have to work together to access water and other services.
The floods in northern Pakistan were sudden and violent. People had very little time to move to higher ground, and the water cut 100-foot-wide and 40-foot-high gashes out of mountainsides. Water delivery systems, roads, bridges—everything was destroyed by the sudden force of the water. People's land has just vanished. It's not a matter of waiting for waters to recede; their land is gone for good. And we have to think about shelter solutions in the north right away. Winter comes earlier in the north, so aid agencies will need to coordinate with the government to ensure needs for winterized shelters are met before the cold sets in. To donate online go to: CRS.org/Pakistan.
