International aid agency Oxfam expressed concerns over the floods in Sindh and Balochistan provinces, as only $1.30 has been committed per person by international donors in the first 10 days of the UN appeal as opposed to $3.20 committed in the same period during last year's floods. The Oxfam warns that the situation of millions of people in Sindh and Balochistan will worsen further unless more aid arrives.
According to the latest figures, more than 8.8 million people in Sindh and 14,000 in Balochistan have been affected by the 2011 monsoon rains. Reported losses are being estimated at $215 million, and that number is likely to increase as some areas are inaccessible, and the impact of the floods cannot be assessed. Approximately 6.8 million acres of land have been damaged by the floods - an area nearly as large as Haiti.
According to the UN, the floods have wiped out 73 percent of standing crops, 36 percent of livestock and 67 percent of food stocks in the 13 worst affected districts of Sindh. In a province where already 72 percent of the population is acutely short of food, the losses of crops means hundreds of thousands more people don't have enough to eat.
"Some of the most agriculturally productive districts have been hit this time. Sugarcane, chilli, cotton and rice crops have been damaged right before the harvest started. It is time to truly show the women, men and children of Sindh that we are human and have compassion. This must be shown through our actions - now," said Neva Khan, Country Director of Oxfam in Pakistan.
Approximately 97 percent of the UN's $357 million appeal remained unattended. So far only $11.5 million has been committed by donors. Within the first 10 days of the 2005 Pakistan earthquake, which left some 3.5 million people homeless, the international community had committed $247 million and pledged $45 million. This works out to $70 committed per person.
"People are living in desperate conditions. Each passing day puts more people at risk of deadly diseases, forces more people into hunger and destroys future of more human beings. We are in a battle against time. Donors, the UN, aid agencies and the government, need to step up their response immediately. People need help now," said Khan.