In just a few months, heavy rains have claimed many lives and damaged and destroyed public infrastructure. Nearly 2.3 million houses have been destroyed, mainly in the provinces of Sindh and Baluchistan.
In Baluchistan, a province in south-west Pakistan bordering Afghanistan, the rate of food insecurity was already very high, with 41% of the population in a crisis and emergency situation (IPC). There are a number of reasons to explain this figure, including heat waves in the first half of 2022, followed by heavy monsoon rains and flooding from July onwards, which led to disastrous harvests and major livestock losses. This disaster has also heightened concerns about food security, as the impact of the floods on agriculture has been particularly severe (OCHA).
Furthermore, since December, residents have been experiencing harsh winter conditions, some of them living without shelter and with just the bare minimum to clothe or feed themselves. With 64% of the population live in rural areas and earn their living from farming, the country will have to restore economic balance. Long-term reconstruction is therefore a crucial issue for the country, but those affected by the floods must also be able to benefit from immediate help to survive and find alternative, sustainable means of subsistence. This help should include reinforcing existing irrigation and drainage infrastructure, building new flood-resistant housing, and supporting small farmers to develop more innovative, climate-resilient practices to improve production.
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