Children Most Vulnerable In Pakistan Floods

Children Most Vulnerable In Pakistan Flood Disaster -- UNICEF

Wellington, 1 September, 2010. – The UN Children’s Fund is responding to the unfolding humanitarian situation in north-west Pakistan, where severe flooding has killed more than 800 people and disrupted the lives of a further one million.

Emergency assessment teams are currently on the ground to see how many children have been affected and their most urgent needs. UNICEF has staff in eight offices around Pakistan, including Peshawar, and pre-positioned emergency supplies which are available to be deployed at short notice.

UNICEF NZ Executive Director, Dennis McKinlay, says that children are the most vulnerable in a natural disaster like this.

“With more than 40 per cent of the population under 18 years-of-age, the number of children affected could be in the hundreds of thousands.

Wellington, 1 September, 2010. – The UN Children’s Fund is responding to the unfolding humanitarian situation in north-west Pakistan, where severe flooding has killed more than 800 people and disrupted the lives of a further one million.

Emergency assessment teams are currently on the ground to see how many children have been affected and their most urgent needs. UNICEF has staff in eight offices around Pakistan, including Peshawar, and pre-positioned emergency supplies which are available to be deployed at short notice.

UNICEF NZ Executive Director, Dennis McKinlay, says that children are the most vulnerable in a natural disaster like this.

“With more than 40 per cent of the population under 18 years-of-age, the number of children affected could be in the hundreds of thousands.

“But getting an accurate picture of the situation is difficult. There has been a breakdown in the communications system, with the mobile phone network particularly affected. In addition, many roads and bridges have been washed away, or are otherwise impassable.”

Mr McKinlays says contaminated flood waters and lack of clean water increase the risk of the spread of diarrhoeal diseases.

“Children under five are especially vulnerable to dehydration from diarrhoea. One of the first priorities will be the provision of clean, safe water to children and their families.

“Another very real risk is the spread of communicable diseases like measles, which are a major killer of children. The assessment teams will be looking at whether there is a need for a mass immunization to protect younger children.”

Mr McKinlay says that UNICEF is working closely with other UN agencies and the Government of Pakistan to coordinate the emergency response.

People can donate to UNICEF NZ’s Emergency Fund: www.unicef.org.nz

ENDS

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