A fierce cyclone ripped through Pakistan's southwest coast on Tuesday 26 June 2007, bringing 80mph winds and causing severe flooding across the provinces of Balochistan and Sindh.

Around 2.5 million people have been affected by the flooding, with over 370,000 being forced to flee their homes.

So far, more than 360 people have died and 224 are still reported missing.

Nowhere to go

People were left clinging to trees as floodwaters rose, while others were evacuated to higher ground.

Entire villages are now lying underwater, leaving thousands of people without shelter. Many people have lost everything they owned, including their livestock.

Over 35,000 people are staying in temporary relief camps. Those who are not sheltering inside a camp are either staying with relatives or taking refuge in mosques, schools or government buildings.

Many people are also sheltering on roadsides, where they are exposed to the elements and have poor access to water or sanitation facilities.

Destroyed Roads

The worst-affected areas of Balochistan are the districts of Jhal Magsi, Jaffarabad, Bolan and Naseerabad.

Hundreds of thousands of people in Balochistan urgently need humanitarian aid but the destruction of roads and bridges have hampered relief efforts. Local reports suggest that people in the worst-affected areas do not have enough shelter and some survivors have not received any humanitarian aid at all.

Health fears

With floodwaters receding in some areas, there are fears that diarrhoeal and waterborne diseases will spread rapidly. Survivors also face the threat of snake bites.

There has been an outbreak of acute skin conditions due to many people being surrounded by contaminated water for nearly two months.
People urgently need clean drinking water, hygiene facilities, shelter, food and medical assistance.

Islamic Relief's Response

Islamic Relief (IR)'s emergency response is focused in Balochistan, where we are already carrying out development projects.
IR's initial response included distributing food, shelter items and jerry cans to 450 families in Chagai and another 450 in Kharan.
IR has also treated survivors in health camps and mobile health centres in Kharan and Chagai, many of whom were women and children. This project is part of IR's long-term development work in Balochistan.
IR has received around £460,000 from institutional donors and is supporting over 94,000 people in Balochistan.

IR and UK Department for International Development (DfID):

Joint project worth around £300,000 to help 3,400 families in Kharan and Jaffarabad;

Shelter repair kits, hygiene kits, kitchen sets and jerry cans will be provided;

Health and hygiene sessions will also be held;

The project is expected to last 3 months;

IR and Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA):

SIDA have contributed approximately £140,000 to support 1785 families in Kharan;

Shelter kits, kitchen sets, hygiene kits and jerry cans will be provided;

The project is expected to last 3 months;

IR and UN refugee agency (UNHCR):

Tents, blankets, plastic sheets, jerrycans and kitchen sets have been distributed to 450 families in Chagai;

Tents, plastic sheets, jerrycans and blankets have been distributed to around 1,120 people in Kharan;

IR and UN children's fund (UNICEF)

UNICEF have contributed around £120,000 to provide access to water and sanitation for 42,000 people in two union councils of Kharan;

Project includes tankering clean water to flood-affected families, distributing water purification tablets, constructing latrines and places to wash hands, building drainage facilities and promoting good hygiene practices;
The project is expected to last 3 months.