International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has dispatched 150 tool kits to help families whose homes were damaged by flash floods caused by heavy rains in northern Pakistan's Swat region last week. The floods destroyed homes in the Babuzai, Charbagh, Kabal, Khawazakhela and Mingora Tehsils of Swat - an area already affected by poverty and conflict-induced displacement.
The tool kits, which were sent at the request of government and partner agencies, came from an IOM emergency stockpile. Each includes a shovel, pickaxe, adze, hammer, nails, pliers, pincers, chisel, wrench, trowel, hand saw, gloves, nylon rope, binding wire and a packing bag.
"The kits were sent to Mingora, and will be distributed to 150 affected families identified by district government in Charbagh, Landiklass and Banr union councils of Charbagh Tehsil," says Brian Kelly, Head of IOM Pakistan's Emergency and Stabilisation Unit. IOM has appealed for $11 million over the next six months under the Pakistan Humanitarian Response Plan for 2010 to help families displaced by military operations in north-west of Pakistan.
The IOM appeal includes funding to provide emergency shelter for returning vulnerable families; reconstruction and development of essential community infrastructure affected by military operations; security awareness training for the humanitarian community; mass communications and disaster risk management programming with local government.