News
UNHCR dispatches tents for flood victims in Balochistan
QUETTA, March 4 : The UN Refugee Agency has dispatched two convoys of trucks carrying, 1,000 tents to provide emergency shelter for Afghan refugees in the Loralai and Muslim Bagh areas whose houses have been destroyed by heavy rains in Balochistan.
The first convoy of five trucks arrived at the UNHCR office in Loralai on Thursday night and another convoy with the second batch of 500 tents was expected to reach the affected area on Friday.
An assessment team that rushed to the area on Thursday reported heavy damage to the Malgagai camp near Bagh, with water and mud rushing down from the barren mountainside surrounding the camp.
There are about 8,000 Afghans in the Muslim Bagh area and around 30,000 in the Loralai area, about two hours drive away.
However, the head of a UNHCR team assisting in the census of Afghans in Pakistan which was in the area at the time of the floods said he visited Katwai Camp but was unable to confirm earlier reports of deaths there from the flooding.
Once the assessment of needs is completed on Friday the tents will be distributed to those in need of shelter. The non-governmental organization WESS, a partner of UNHCR in the camps, is sending staff to Muslim Bagh to assist in the distribution.
The rains in Balochistan, the heaviest reported in decades, have ended a drought that left most of the countryside denuded of any vegetation that could absorb or slow the flow of water.
The severe weather has also forced the government of Pakistan to extend until next week the deadline in Balochistan for completion of the census it is carrying out with UNHCR assistance.