Since mid-June, unusually heavy monsoon rainfall, plus melting glaciers caused by a severe heat wave, has resulted in the worst floods in the history of Pakistan.
A humanitarian crisis has unfolded, affecting 33 million people and causing more than 1,000 deaths, including 380 children. Nearly 218,000 houses have been destroyed and hundreds of thousands more have been damaged. More than 700,000 livestock have been killed.
These deadly floods threaten to engulf up to a third of the nation by the end of the monsoon season, taking a high toll on lives and on infrastructure, and wreaking havoc on crops in a country already facing food security challenges.
Many of the hardest-hit areas are amongst the most vulnerable in Pakistan, where children already suffer from high rates of malnutrition and poor access to water and sanitation. Most of the affected districts have seen public health facilities damaged, medicine supplies destroyed, and health workers displaced from their homes. The risk of waterborne disease is high, including cholera.
On 25 August, Pakistan declared a state of emergency. This week, UN Secretary General António Guterres launched an urgent financial appeal and, in line with our WHY, People helping people, BDO in Pakistan has pledged their support. The firm’s leadership team have already set a plan in motion to help the flood victims, to include:
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A review of all staff salaries, effective 1 July 2022, to ensure that their employees can meet the additional challenges;
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The deduction of a small amount from everyone’s August salaries, for donation to the flood victims,
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An additional charitable donation from the firm.
Zulfikar Causer, International Liaison Partner, said “Whilst we are grateful that all our employees are currently safe, we are committed to playing our part in the relief efforts, to offer support to those who are less fortunate.”
If you’d like to help
There are many NGOs actively involved in providing funding for tents, food and medicine. Should you wish to make a donation, our colleagues in Pakistan have provided a list of the NGOs that will provide the best outreach to the most impacted areas.
