5.7 million Pakistani flood victims face food crisis, UN warns
(VOVWORLD) - A United Nations humanitarian agency says 5.7 million Pakistani flood survivors will face a serious food crisis in the next three months.
 Displaced people gather to receive free food near their makeshift camp in the flood-hit Sindh province on September 19, 2022. (Photo: AFP/VNA) |
Pakistan's National Disaster Management Authority reported on Monday that floods caused by abnormally heavy monsoon rains have killed nearly 1,700 people, affected 33 million, damaged more than 2 million homes, and displaced hundreds of thousands who now live in tents or makeshift homes.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in its latest report said the floods will exacerbate food insecurity in Pakistan and 5.7 million people in flood-affected areas will face a food crisis between September and November.
Pakistan says floods caused about 30 billion USD of damage to its economy. Floods washed away thousands of kilometres of roads, destroyed 440 bridges, and disrupted railroad traffic.
Pakistan's government insists that there is no immediate shortage of food, as wheat stocks are enough to last until the next harvest and the government is importing more.