Troubled waters
Six months on from the devastating floods in Pakistan, WaterAid talk about the long term challenges of responding to such a major disaster.
In July 2010, a “super flood” hit the northern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan creating chaos before making its devastating way south to the provinces of Punjab and Sindh as water from eastern rivers magnified the impact and scope of the flood.
An estimated 20 million people were displaced by the disaster and some 2000 lost their lives. Sindh province was the worst affected and now requires extraordinary planning and resources to rehabilitate the people affected and rebuild infrastructure. In the most affected districts 80% of the population migrated.
In the wake of the flooding millions of children and vulnerable adults were placed at immediate risk of diseases caused by dirty water and poor sanitation, in particular diarrhoea and cholera.
High demand for water and sanitation provision
The destruction of water supply schemes and the already limited capacity of existing systems meant that the need for potable water was crucial. In the early response phase, most of the relief organisations in the areas we visited did not focus on the availability of toilets and so scores of people were defecating in the open, spreading disease around the camps.
Although WaterAid is not an emergency response organisation, we are committed to working alongside our local partners to bring life-saving support to some of the worst flood-affected communities, as well as ensuring that our long-term plans for sustainable water and sanitation services in the region go ahead.
A complex situation
In the wake of the flooding, WaterAid’s first priority was to focus on the water and sanitation-related needs of displaced people as they relocated to various relief camps in their adjoining areas.
There were however additional complications to consider. In Sindh, when the government warned those situated near river banks of the impending danger they were reluctant to leave their homes due to lawlessness and the insecurity of their crops and land.
People could not imagine the imminent scale of flood and many of the government’s flood warning systems were either too delayed or unrealistic. Most people decided to leave only in the last minutes, putting immense pressure on the limited number of army and local government boats and helicopters for rescue and evacuation.
The scorching summer days and, more latterly, the harsh onset of winter, all exacerbated the water and sanitation crisis. On top of this, traditional and cultural differences meant that some communities showed a reluctance to use emergency toilets communally, or to drink the purified water because of its unfamiliar taste. This made our hygiene education sessions even more pertinent.
Involving the local community
One of the ways in which WaterAid in Pakistan has tried to overcome the challenges is by involving the people living in the camps in the construction of emergency toilets in order to foster a sense of ownership and pride. This work was then replicated by other partners and agencies and it is notable that although around 30 deaths were reported due to diarrhoea in Sindh, there has been no major outbreak.
Working in collaboration
A natural disaster of this scale requires agencies and organisations to join together in their response. In Pakistan, we will continue to engage with other national and international agencies to provide technical expertise and advice on water, sanitation and hygiene. It is encouraging to know that some relief partners have received significant funding for rehabilitating certain communities and that water, sanitation and hygiene are very much a focus of this next phase. However, there is still a long way to go to restore hope to millions.
Hope for the future
On one hand the floods in Pakistan have created havoc, but some good might come out of this terrible situation. The government now has a chance to look at how people have been living, and plan the flow of population and urban locations in a more systematic way.
The government has a huge role to play, and the work of INGOs such as WaterAid has never been more important, but the people of Pakistan are resilient, depend on each other, and will continue to make change for themselves.
Article by Munawar Hassan, WaterAid’s Programme Manager in Sindh.
World Water Day is on 22 March 2011
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