Eight weeks after flood relief operations commenced in Pakistan, how are ordinary people getting along?
Parts of the country are still submerged by floodwaters. In the north, people are gradually returning to their devastated homes. In the south, stagnant floodwaters still cover huge areas, leaving people in need of life-saving assistance. For millions, the crisis is still far from over. Damage to infrastructure and livelihoods is severe and will have a long-term impact. The needs are so immense that no single agency or government can cover everything, whether in the short or in the longer term. Meeting the needs requires the combined effort of the government, the army, the international community, the UN, NGOs, donors and of course the communities themselves. In partnership with the Pakistan Red Crescent Society, the ICRC has provided one-month food rations and hygiene items for 575,000 flood victims and household and shelter items for a further 345,000 in selected areas, mainly west of the Indus river. The ICRC has also helped the members of more than 800 families to stay in touch by p
