Pakistan Update #6

"The deluge has affected about one-fifth of Pakistan's territory, straining the civilian government as it also struggles against al-Qaida and Taliban violence. At least six million people have been made homeless and 20 million affected overall." - Sunday, Aug. 22

Hyderabad
Hyderabad is the second-largest city in Sindh and Pakistan's sixth biggest overall, with a population of 2.5 million. According to one government worker at a relief camp, there are approximately 100,000 Internally Displaced People (IDPs) now in this area. Hyderabad is passing through a critical time right now as 900,000+ cusecs of water “superflood” their way past the city. Four days ago, the 250,000 cusecs in the river was unusually high for what we were used to seeing. The Kotri dike here is apparently supposed to be able to withstand up to one million cusecs.

We’re praying that water doesn’t enter Hyderabad not just for personal reasons, but because the city has become a huge relief center. If it were hit by floods, the impact to the already displaced would be terrible. Out of compassion for so many poor who’ve taken refuge here, we’re praying that it doesn’t happen.

The Hospital (SCH)
Over the weekend, cooked meals were delivered to 660 people twice a day. Two new groups living nearby will be surveyed today, and water pots and mats will be purchased and distributed to families that have joined the camp who need them. A list of cooking utensils was made, and we’ll try to find someone who is available to purchase them in the next day or two.

Over the weekend two or three children were found to have diarrhea. They had already used their ORS (water purification) packets and had gotten or were going to get treatment from the adjacent medical camp. Any of those questioned about what they were doing with their ORS packets reported that they had already used them. More packets are needed and will be made and delivered today to each family. Several new families arrived after tents were distributed in the this area, so Jardo and someone else will go out to the Army aid station and see if we can get tents for them.

Also, many have asked for some kind of shade device as they are sitting out in the open along the roadside. The tents are dark green (with white canvas under the rain fly), and it is stiflingly hot inside of them. The rain flies could be removed and set up with bamboo poles, ropes and stakes to move more air through the tents and to give them additional shade. Robert and Jamil will also try to set one of them up today. The prevailing weather conditions are full sun with temperatures in the mid 90's and 60-90% humidity today—feels like 122 degrees.

There is an already-drilled well in about the middle of the line of tents, but the pump was removed just after the IDPs arrived. Robert and Jamil installed a hand pump with a brick pad and a trench to drain the water. We will also attempt to put up a screen around that area by the end of the week, so that ladies can wash themselves with some semblance of privacy. They have not been able to bathe as there is basically no private area, and they pretty much have only one set of clothes.

A wholesaler of wheat, flour, rice and tea in Shikarpur will be contacted today to find out if they can make up packets of staples similar to what NN's team is delivering, with the addition of garam masala (popular hot spices). We will need at least 165 of these initially, and more if these two new groups are added. Actually, if all of the things on this list got done today it would be a miracle, but to accomplish it all by the end of the week is probably more realistic as everyone still has their “day job.”