WFP Operational Update - Pakistan Floods Emergency

As flooding continues to cause displacement, destruction and
suffering in Pakistan, WFP is mobilizing all possible resources to ensure
those affected receive food assistance as swiftly as possible.


- WFP is planning to have reached 2 million people with food by August 20th
- communities who are urgently in need of food and accessible to relief
teams. Some will need assistance for a short period only, but many
will likely need help for at least three months.


- WFP is appealing for US$163 million for food and logistics/emergency
telecoms support to respond to the crisis. WFP has enough food in-country
to provide a one-month ration for the needs of 6 million people (the
overall flood affected population deemed in need of food assistance).


- WFP has already received confirmed contributions of US $13.2 million (as
of 10 August)

- urgent donor support is required to make the necessary
purchases which will ensure steady supplies beyond August.



KHYBER PAKHUNKHWA (KPK)


- Rapid food assessments have been concluded across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
(KPK) and indicate that some 2.6 million people need food.


- WFP was on Monday able to re-start helicopter operations to deliver food
supplies into the upper Swat valley. Bad weather had prevented helicopter
deliveries on Friday, Saturday and Sunday to areas where about
600,000 people have been cut off by flooding. Operations continued on
Tuesday.


- Despite the adverse weather, by Tuesday evening WFP had reached nearly
370,000 people with one-month food supplies in the worst affected areas of
KPK. These supplies include high-energy biscuits and ready-to-eat
foods for infants and young children, as well as fortified wheat flour.


- The number of people being reached increases daily, as does the area
covered by food distributions.



OTHER OPERATIONS


- WFP is also scaling up food assistance to flood-affected communities in
Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan.


- WFP is finalising preparations for distributions in DG Khan, Leiah, RY
Khan, Rajanpur and Muzaffargh in Punjab to about 525,000 people, and
Khairpur, Kashmore, Shikarpur, Ghotki and Sukhar in Sindh
to about 300,000. Distributions in other parts of Punjab and Sindh will
start in the coming days.


- At any one time, WFP currently estimates that it has at least 200 trucks
moving food around Pakistan to deliver assistance to flood victims. Donkeys
are also being prepared in a bid to reach the most remote
communities who cannot even be reached by helicopter.


- In order to scale up distributions as quickly as possible, WFP is
increasing the number of NGO partners we are working with across the
flood-affected areas.


- In addition, food stocks already in place for existing operations donated
by the key donors such as the USA have helped ensure people have been
assisted as quickly as possible.


- To ensure a steady supply of wheat flour to the flood operation, WFP is
increasing the number of mills it uses from 12 to 20.


- A swift response has been made possible by the deep field presence of WFP
and its partners - with 19 humanitarian hubs (with some food stocks) and a
network of national and international NGOs.



Source:

WFP