Cornwall's ShelterBox says third of Pakistan under water after severe monsoon
The disaster relief charity has renewed its appeal to support those hit by floods
A disaster relief charity based in Truro is helping people in Pakistan after a severe monsoon left houses damaged and destroyed.
ShelterBox is working to support people displaced by offering urgent shelter after around 30 million people were affected by the flooding.
The natural disaster has claimed 1,500 lives (around a third of them children) and injured nearly 13,000 people.
ShelterBox's Regional Director for Asia, Haroon Altaf, says: "Working in Pakistan in the aftermath of the 2010 floods, the scale of the humanitarian response was vast.
"It's of grave concern that we're not seeing the same level of international response now, despite more people being affected and more houses damaged or destroyed - especially given the dire need communities were already facing because of the economic crisis and following Covid.
"Sindh, in particular, is the most affected province and produces half of the country's food supply, this could tip millions of people into extreme poverty next year.
"That's why we’re already thinking about how ShelterBox can support people to recover after the initial emergency and what those shelter needs might look like".
Millions of homes have been damaged or destroyed, either from sinking under water or being swept away, leaving behind people in need of urgent shelter.
Kitty Sadler, who has been in Pakistan, said: "Temperatures are likely to drop in parts of Pakistan so we're starting to try and look at what that longer term recovery looks like.
"Tents are obviously incredible they provide protection from the elements, but they are temporary, so right now we're looking at how we can support that longer term recovery and what we can do to really start that journey to more permanent rebuilding their life.
Kitty continued: "Over five million people had complete destruction of their shelters so those people on my experience in the field they're literally living on raised roadsides.
"Everything else, all their fields are completely soddened and water isn't expected to recede for many months".
What ShelterBox is doing in Pakistan?
A ShelterBox emergency response team has been working to get emergency shelter aid to thousands of people left with nowhere to live by the floods.
The charity are working in partnership with Islamic Relief Worldwide (IRW) and Islamic Relief Pakistan for their initial project, distributing tents, water filters and carriers, mosquito nets, and solar lights to thousands of people affected by the floods in Sindh.
After their aid arrived in the country their emergency response teams delivered training to our partners on how to use our equipment and tents. It comes after their largest response to flooding in 2010 where they supported thousands of families in Pakistan with emergency shelter aid.
ShelterBox has an ongoing emergency fundraising appeal to help people survive the deadly floods that have left a third of Pakistan underwater.
The charity is hoping to provide thousands more people with cash assistance to help provide local communities with help to rebuild their homes.
Donations will help ShelterBox provide emergency shelter for families affected by disasters around the world.
You can help support ShelterBox and its distributions to Pakistan on the charity's website.