Pakistan Floods

The flooding in Pakistan was an unavoidable natural disaster. The measures we take now will decide if we can avoid an ongoing humanitarian disaster.

Picture: Corporal Chris Moore.

Last Thursday I visited Pakistan to inspect the flood damage and the Australian response in Kot Addu, near Multan in the Southern Punjab.

The UN High-Level Meeting on Pakistan today met to discuss the adequacy, or inadequacy, of the international response. This meeting has one challenge – to prevent a natural disaster becoming a humanitarian calamity that could have been avoided.

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  • K King says:

    06:50pm | 21/09/10

    Fran Fran Fran, Pakistani cabbies aren’t as wealthy and fortunate as some of us snobs. They, like any other cabbies from other ethnicities are deservedly earning their hard earned dollar, exposing themselves to dangers and working the odd hours while you and me sleep in our warm and cozy beds.… Read more »

  • Austin 3:16 says:

    05:33pm | 21/09/10

    Hey Denny, yeah Australia’s debt is about 6% of our income. Unlike Tony Abbott who’s personal debt is several times his income. Maybe we should also start a fund to help him out, what do you reckon? Read more »

 

Disease looms as the second wave of death behind virtually every natural disaster.  It is why the first stages of relief efforts are best measured by what doesn’t happen rather than what does. 

A girl looking for fresh water in a Pakistani camp. Photo/AFP

The response to the Asian tsunami was stunningly successful in halting thousands more deaths through disease.

The threat of disease is the reason why in Pakistan today, even though flood waters have peaked and are beginning to recede, the situation facing millions of survivors is catastrophic.

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  • A Nobody says:

    10:42am | 29/09/11

    Being a muslim and donating to 5 local charities locally in Australia I just can’t believe some of you are so heartless. Maybe I should stop giving locally and give to Pakistan instead. I am a low income earner. I just get by most of the time. I always find… Read more »

  • Robinoz says:

    09:31pm | 26/09/10

    I wouldn’t give Pakistan a cent. It’s full of Taliban who are killing off those whom they think are Christians, denying food aid to those who aren’t muslim. Pakistan isn’t a friend of Australia’s. Let the numerous muslim countries help Pakistan and put our money to better uses. Read more »

 

The floods in Pakistan are too enormous to comprehend. The equivalent of 85% of the Australian population has been made homeless in just a couple of weeks. The death toll is not yet known. The nation has been turned upside down.

Flood survivors migrating to safer areas. Photo: AP

These events made it hard even to take seriously the news reports this week on the ‘floods’ in the Sydney suburbs of Paddington and Carlingford, in which residents lost sports cars and Sex Pistols memorabilia.

There are tragedies, and there are tragedies.

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  • Shiloh says:

    11:12pm | 19/09/10

    ‘There were some present at that very time who told (Jesus) about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you;… Read more »

  • Davey H says:

    02:45pm | 17/09/10

    God gets thanked for Academy awards also.  He gets waaaaayyyyy to much praise for things he had no bearing on whatseover. Read more »

 

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