Australia will stump up another $3 million to help Pakistan respond to devastating flooding affecting its region.
This will bring Australia’s total humanitarian response to the floods to $5 million, with the latest aid boost to meet the needs of women and children, who remain disproportionately impacted by the disaster.
About 33 million people across Pakistan are believed to be affected by the deluge, which has submerged villages and left little ground to spare for people to set up makeshift shelters.
Foreign minister Penny Wong issued a joint statement with international development minister Pat Conroy on Sunday explaining the magnitude of human displacement as a result of the natural disaster.
“The water, now covering over one-third of the country, is expected to take months to subside. This is having enormous and ongoing impacts on crops, food security and livelihoods,” Wong said.
“The Australian government’s deepest sympathies are with the families and communities that have been, and continue to be, greatly affected.”
The abnormally heavy rain in the country, which started in mid-June, has been linked to climate change.
According to official estimates, approximately 1.7 million houses have been lost to the record floods and about a third of Pakistan’s cotton crops. Thousands of people are believed to have died from the flooding across the country.
The latest funding from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade will be delivered through the World Food Program for emergency food and livelihood needs.
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