US announces additional $30mn flood relief for Pakistan

US Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome on Thursday announced an additional US$30 million in humanitarian assistance to support flood-affected people in Pakistan.

Ambassador Blome made the announcement during a visit to flood-hit Shikarpur district, where he distributed emergency shelter, latrines and hygiene kits among flood-affected people.

He talked with flood victims to learn about the impact of the flooding and understand their needs.

“Today, I am pleased to announce that the United States is providing an additional $30 million in response to severe flooding in Pakistan, bringing our total support to nearly $100 million this year.” -DB #AmbBlome pic.twitter.com/TZeuFtPiEf

— U.S. Embassy Islamabad (@usembislamabad) October 27, 2022

This new funding brings the United States’ total assistance to Pakistan for flood response, food security and disaster preparedness and capacity-building efforts to $97 million this year, said a statement issued here by the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad.

“The new funding will expand efforts to address immediate needs, scaling up assistance to the most affected communities and enabling USAID to reach more than 4 million people,” it added.

With the additional funding, the U.S. government, through USAID, will provide life-saving food, nutrition, and health assistance to mitigate increased food insecurity and malnutrition resulting from the impact of the floods, as well as curb the rise of diseases resulting from stagnant flood waters.

The new funding will also provide shelter supplies to help families rebuild as well as winterization kits to help families prepare ahead of cold weather.

As women and girls are disproportionately impacted by natural disasters, like flooding, the United States is providing increased protection support to prevent gender-based violence as well as provide support for survivors.