Millions of people have been impacted by the floods. Communities need support to restore and rebuild their livelihoods in a resilient manner.

Distributions of cooked food are used in humanitarian contexts to respond to immediate life-saving food security needs and bridge the gap between other food security interventions. Investing in infrastructure adopting a “build back better” approach will make communities more resilient to disaster and climate impacts.

Reconstruction

The rebuilding efforts of the flood affected people are critical to their long term recovery. This requires funds to repair and rebuild damaged homes, schools, roads, water systems, and other infrastructure.

Food security support is also critical. Families need seeds and fertilizers to plant crops for the upcoming harvest season, or to rehabilitate their ruined fields. The country’s water supply system has been severely impacted by the flooding, forcing families to rely on contaminated pond and well sources for drinking and cooking.

A new survey by Save the Children found that more than half of the people affected by the 2022 floods were living below the poverty line. Funding is needed to deliver prolonged support to prevent a full-scale hunger crisis.

Shelter

The floods impacted over 300 small businesses across Whatcom County and many sustained significant physical damage. Local businesses are already undergoing the recovery process and are in need of financial support.

Needs within the shelter sector remain enormous and funding remains a challenge. For example, in order to meet the needs of affected people, the shelter sector was only able to provide one tarpaulin per household, which is less than half what is recommended internationally. With winter approaching, more tarpaulins are needed to protect people from the cold.

In some cases, cooked meal distributions may be the most appropriate food security intervention for vulnerable populations in emergency contexts. They are often implemented in conjunction with other food security interventions and can be delivered for a set period of time until the normal food security situation is restored. Additionally, cooked meals can also be used in situations where individuals have lost the ability to purchase and store food or access utilities to cook it.

Health

As a result of flooding, millions of families lost access to clean drinking water. The contaminated water caused diarrhea, malaria, and cholera outbreaks in the affected areas.

The floods exacerbated underlying vulnerabilities in the area, including malnutrition and food insecurity. The agricultural sector has also been devastated, limiting people’s ability to sustain livelihoods and provide for their families.

The upcoming agriculture season will be particularly challenging. Farmers need seeds and fertilizers to cultivate vegetable crops, as well as money for irrigation and flood protection systems. The 2022 floods destroyed livestock, a critical source of income for rural households. The deteriorating situation requires urgent attention to save lives and support people’s recovery. CDC epidemiologists worked closely with the CDC Pakistan country office to develop an emergency response, using data and expertise to identify local health needs. CDC staff also trained provincial-level public health workers to monitor disease trends and coordinate the emergency response. These efforts will improve future responses to health emergencies in Pakistan.

Water

As the flooded region recovers, millions still face food insecurity. A lack of funding is hampering people’s ability to access and grow crops, protect livestock – which is a core asset for rural families – and resume livelihoods. The most critical needs are for unrestricted cash donations, a proven strategy to allow families to purchase the items and services they need.

Millions of impacted households lost everything during the floods. Those who lost their houses need to rebuild them and return to their homes. The 2022 floods damaged road networks, impeding mobility and hampering trade and commerce, while frequent urban flooding submerges and washes away paved roads.

The project will rehabilitate damaged infrastructure using a “build back better” approach to make it more resilient to future disasters and climate impacts. It will also support short-term livelihoods for affected families through rental cash assistance and livestock restoration programs. The project will also deliver safe, treated water to communities, and street drainage will be built to help mitigate the risk of further floods and landslides.