The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has begun food distribution among tens of thousands of people affected by monsoon floods in Sindh province with plans to gear up operations to reach the most severely affected areas of Balochistan.
A one-month food ration is being distributed to some 10,000 families in Jacobabad district of Sindh, where some areas are in 2.5 metres (8 feet) deep water, drawing upon limited available stocks of food. WFP plans to reach a further 10,000 families in Balochistan later this week.
With road access limited due to the flood waters, WFP has deployed 16 motorboats to reach some of the worst affected communities. However, any assistance beyond this first phase will require additional funding from donors and WFP is seeking urgent donations of US $15 million.
"We could scale up our response to reach up to 250,000 families--that's 1.7 million people," said WFP Pakistan Country Director Jean-Luc Siblot. "But that would mean using food stocks earmarked for relief to the displaced population in the north-west of the country and these would have to be replenished by December-that means funding is needed now," he said this in a statement issued here on Tuesday. The WFP food basket consists of dietary staples of fortified wheat flour, pulses, vegetable oil and iodised salt, as well as High Energy Biscuits and specialised ready-to-use supplementary food for small children.-PR