The United Kingdom and the United Nations have announced urgent relief measures to support Pakistan as heavy monsoon rains and flash floods continue to wreak havoc across the country, killing at least 739 people and displacing thousands.
On Friday, the UK pledged £1.33 million in humanitarian assistance, expected to benefit over 223,000 people across Punjab, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The package includes food rations, mobile medical camps, rehabilitation of water systems, restoration of irrigation channels, and livelihood assistance. British High Commissioner Jane Marriott said the UK remains committed to strengthening Pakistan’s disaster response and resilience.
As part of this support, 2,400 community volunteers have been trained for search and rescue operations, with several already deployed in Buner alongside Rescue 1122. Mobile medical camps are being dispatched to flood-hit districts, while displaced families are receiving shelter materials, food, and dignity kits for women.
Meanwhile, the United Nations and its partners have mobilised food, tents, and medical supplies to the hardest-hit areas. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has deployed coordinators and released emergency funds for life-saving health, shelter, food security, and water interventions. UNICEF has distributed medicines and hygiene kits to prevent disease outbreaks.
Authorities have declared emergencies in several districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where 368 people have died and more than 1,300 homes have been damaged. Children remain among the worst affected, with dozens killed and schools either destroyed or turned into temporary shelters.
In Sindh, urban flooding in Karachi left six dead, while in Punjab, rivers overflowed and displaced more than 2,300 families. With severe weather forecast to continue into September, relief agencies warn of further risks of flooding, landslides, and crop losses.
Both the UK and the UN have emphasised not only immediate humanitarian aid but also long-term disaster preparedness, including Pakistan’s disaster management capacity, to build resilience against worsening climate-driven crises.
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