Last week, the country of Pakistan was hit by heavy rains which caused terrible floods in the north of the country. It has been estimated by the UN that over 20 million people have been affected, and more than 1,500 people have died. In just one week, one particular area was hit by ten times more rain than they normally had in a year!

Why did this happen?

Every year Pakistan, which is between Afghanistan and India on the continent of Asia, goes through a weather season called the monsoon – a period of very heavy rain. Because the country is hot and dry for the rest of the year, many people including farmers, rely on this rain to plant seeds to grow food which will feed their family for the rest of the year. But last week, too much rain came at once and caused mass flooding. More rain is still falling, which means more people will lose their homes and their livelihoods, including animals, which provide money and food for people living in rural villages.

How are people helping?

The government of Pakistan has been leading the effort to help people affected by the floods. The Pakistani army has mobilised helicopters to rescue people who are stranded in remote areas. Charities have been working on the ground to distribute aid and food and set up temporary shelters and medical clinics. Governments from all over the world have already pledged millions to help pay for it, but getting the aid to the people that need it is very difficult because the flooded areas are hard to reach.

How is the UK helping?

One of the biggest problems in a flood is getting access to safe, clean water. This is because many people get their water supply from wells, which get poisoned by sewage and dead animals. This makes people very sick, and charities are worried that many people will die from diseases like diarrhoea and typhoid which cost very little money to prevent and treat. In fact cases of cholera have already been diagnosed. So the Department for International Development, the part of the UK government that helps poor countries, is providing water, sanitation and healthcare, as well as food and shelter. Some of the items include hygiene kits, toilets, buckets and water purification tablets which will help 800,000 people to avoid getting diseases.

They have also sent 2,000 all-weather tents to flood-affected districts in Pakistan, which will provide shelter for up to 10,000 people who have lost their homes in the recent floods.

The International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell said:

“Thousands of people who have had their homes destroyed by the floods are in desperate need of all-weather tents. With more rain expected, we must get aid to them as quickly as possible.”