Millions of people have been affected and hundreds of casualties reported across the country during the recent floods and monsoon rains, the prime minister has raised the ex-gratia assistance for the next of kin of those who lost their lives from Rs1 million to Rs2m.
More than 4.2 million people in 18 districts of Punjab have been affected by the recent floods, with Muzaffargarh alone accounting for over a quarter of the total, according to a Rapid Needs Assessment report released by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Muzaffargarh, located on the bank of the Chenab River, is followed by Jhang with 646,000 affected people (15.3 per cent), Bahawalpur with 514,000 (12.2pc), Khanewal with 397,000 (9.4pc), and Multan with 347,000 (8.2pc). Other affected districts include Vehari, Bahawalnagar, Hafizabad, Okara, Chiniot, Gujrat, Rahim Yar Khan, Kasur, Sialkot, Mandi Bahauddin, Narowal, Dera Ghazi Khan and Gujranwala.
The RNA, conducted from Sept 8 to 18 in collaboration with the government, covered 1,928 mouzas in these 18 flood-hit districts.
Out of 161,000 houses assessed, about 115,700 were partially damaged and 46,000 fully or severely damaged, leaving thousands of families without adequate shelter. More than 93pc of the assessed locations reported some level of housing damage, with the highest numbers in Muzaffargarh, Rahim Yar Khan, Khanewal and Jhang. Approximately 2.8m people have been displaced, many forced to leave flooded, damaged or destroyed homes.
According to the report, the affected population faces urgent shelter and non-food item needs, particularly tents, tarpaulins, GI sheets, plastic sheeting and winterisation kits, including blankets, bedding, mats, shawls, mosquito nets and warm clothes.
