2007年VOA标准英语-UN Appeals for Pakistani Flood Victims

Pakistani villagers move out from a flooded area in Shahdad Kot district near Hyderabad, in Pakistan, 03 July 2007

Pakistan's southern Baluchistan and Sindh provinces are used to heavy rains during the annual monsoon⁴ season. But, this year, the floods are much worse than normal. The United Nations estimates more than 2.5 million people are affected⁵. It says up to 400 people are dead and more are missing. It reports that nearly 400,000 people are homeless.

U.N. Emergency Relief Coordinator⁶, John Holmes, says the biggest slice of the $38 million appeal will go toward restoring peoples' livelihoods⁷ as quickly as possible. That means bringing the devastated⁸ agricultural sector⁹ back to normal.

The next biggest need is for shelter. He says hundreds of thousands of homeless people are living with friends or relatives. Many are living in school buildings or in makeshift roadside shelters. He says this is particularly unpleasant, as people are forced to endure scorching¹⁰ heat and dust storms.

Holmes says health is another important consideration.

"So far, we do not have any reports of outbreaks of communicable diseases, but the risk is obviously very high given the conditions of hygiene¹¹ in the affected areas and the monsoon season very high heat and humidity conditions," he said. "So, we are doing our best to make sure that does not happen and to be ready for any outbreaks that there might be. And, the other major item is water and sanitation¹². Many water sources have been destroyed or very badly affected. There is a need to provide immediately fresh water, but also a need to restore and repair the water sources as fast as possible."

As always in emergency situations, Holmes says women and children are the most vulnerable and they will need special care. He warns the situation of the flood victims will deteriorate¹³ further unless the international community acts quickly.

"The conditions are pretty desperate for people, particularly in these early stages. And, psychologically, I think people are very, very devastated," added Holmes. "Flooding is not entirely¹⁴ unknown in the area, obviously, but these are much worse than they have seen before. Entire villages disappearing underneath¹⁵ the mud essentially¹⁶ in some places. So, this is very devastating and the recovery will be extremely tricky¹⁷."

Although the waters are receding¹⁸, weather forecasters predict more heavy rainfall in the next two months. The pressure on dams and levies¹⁹ is very strong. Aid officials are afraid extra flooding will occur as dams break.