UAE launches relief program in Pakistan’s flood-ravaged Balochistan province

The United Arab Emirates has launched a relief program to provide food and shelter to those affected by recent floods in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province, Emirates News Agency WAM reported on Wednesday.
Monsoon rains in Pakistan have claimed 573 lives and injured 939 people since mid-June, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) confirmed this week, with the most casualties taking place in the country’s impoverished Balochistan province.
Last week, Pakistan announced a “monsoon emergency” after various regions of the country were lashed by heavy rains and witnessed flash floods that claimed hundreds of lives and destroyed infrastructure.
“Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra Region and Chairman of the Emirates Red Crescent (ERC), has directed providing urgent humanitarian aid and support to those affected by floods in Balochistan province of Pakistan,” WAM said.
The Emirates Red Crescent began the implementation of the first phase of the relief program immediately to ensure that the basic needs of food and shelter are met for thousands of families.
“The first phase focused on providing aid to areas most ravaged by floods, such as the districts of Lasbela and Jhal Magsi,” WAM said.
It added that in a later stage, UAE will send relief convoys to other areas of southwestern Balochistan province for the affected people.
“The ERC’s aid took into account the requirements of the vulnerable groups such as children, women, people of determination, the elderly people and others as part of its humanitarian programs to aid those affected by floods,” WAM said.
According to Pakistan’s meteorological department, different parts of Pakistan, including Balochistan and the southern port city of Karachi, are expected to receive more rain this week. 
Pakistan’s military and other government agencies have set up aid and relief camps in flood-affected regions while many families have also been relocated to safer places.
The country also witnessed heavy rains and floods in 2010, affecting the lives of nearly 20 million people in Pakistan.
The damage to the national infrastructure back then ran into billions of dollars. Huge swathes of crops were also destroyed as one-fifth of the country was inundated.