HYDERABAD (UCAN): Bishop Samson Shukardin of Hyderabad, Sindh province, Pakistan, called on political leaders, Church leaders, lay faithful and NGOs to help thousands affected by floods that have many areas of Pakistan.
“I am receiving a lot of phone calls for help from my priests and people in various parishes of the diocese. Ninety per cent of the territory of my diocese is flooded due to heavy rain. Many churches, parish houses and schools have been damaged by the deluge,” Bishop Shukardin said.
“It is indeed a sad time for the people of Pakistan as the country is facing a very challenging situation due to the heavy rains and flooding since July. The people are left homeless and hungry besides the families grieving for the loss of their loved ones,” the bishop lamented.
“Amid the severe crisis, we ask for help in the form of non-perishable food, clothes, shoes, bed sheets, mosquito nets, tents and toiletries which would be a great help for the people in most need,” he said.
Bishop Shukardin also expressed concern for the poor farming families who have seen their crops washed away. “Awith all this damage they will be burdened by more loans, as they are already indebted to their landlords,” he said, adding, “Overall, it is a terrible situation and I pray for the people who are living in this challenging situation with no proper shelter and no food.”
During Sunday Masses all over Pakistan, special prayers were offered for people affected by the floods and the faithful were called on to contribute to the cause to reach out to the suffering.
During his August 28 visit to L’Aquila in central Italy, Pope Francis on appealed for people to help Pakistan where thousands are at the mercy of the rainy season that has wreaked havoc across the country.
It is indeed a sad time for the people of Pakistan as the country is facing a very challenging situation due to the heavy rains and flooding since July. The people are left homeless and hungry besides the families grieving for the loss of their loved ones
“Let us pray together for the people of Pakistan, hit by floods of disastrous proportions. Let us pray for the numerous victims, for the wounded and those forced from their homes, and that international solidarity might be prompt and generous,” Pope Francis tweeted.
The government of Pakistan has declared an emergency in the country. Pakistan has experienced 375.4mm of rainfall—2.87 times higher than the national 30-year average of 130.8mm. The rain has primarily fallen on Sindh, Baluchistan and parts of Punjab.
According to the National Disaster Management Authority, some 33 million people are affected. As of August 30, the death toll had surpassed 1,100, with around 1,634 injured, and over 218,000 homes destroyed and 452,000 house damaged by the floods. In addition, 793,000 livestock have died and around 810,000 hectares of crops and orchards have been destroyed. Over 3,000 kilometres of roads and 145 bridges are blocked hampering the ability of people to reach safe areas or access hospitals and vital services.
Some 116 out of 160 districts have been affected, including 66 that have been officially declared calamity areas. The Education Department revealed that at least 17,566 schools have been damaged or destroyed due to the heavy rains and floods. Rail operations have been partially suspended nationwide.
The flooding has caused more than of US$10 billion [$78.4 billion] in damages.
“By the time this is over, we could well have one quarter or one third of Pakistan under water,” CNN reported Pakistan’s climate change minister, Sherry Rehman, as telling Turkish news outlet, TRT World, on August 25.
