More victims than ’04 tsunami, ’10 Haiti quake, and ’05 Kashmir quake combined

Although the Pakistan floods have not received as much media coverage as other natural disasters, the United Nations estimates that the number of victims affected by the floods exceeds the total number of victims affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, 2010 Haiti earthquake and 2005 Kashmir earthquake combined.

Villagers, who are flood victims, gather on a damaged road to check the level of the floodwater after they returned to their village in Dadu, some 320 kilometres (198 miles) north of Karachi, September 14, 2010. REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro

A total of $184,000  was raised for victims of the devastating Pakistan floods during an emergency fundraising dinner on Sep. 8, organized by The Muslim Unity Center of Bloomfield Hills and Islamic Relief-USA (IR-USA). That total includes a single $60,000 donation made in the days leading up to the fundraiser, and $124,000 that was earned through ticket sales and donations made by guests at the fundraiser.  More than 200 tickets were purchased at $100 each. Nine $10,000 donations were made while others gave $1,000 to $5,000.

The Pakistan floods began July 2010 after heavy monsoon rains occurred in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Punjab, and Balochistan. “Why is it that so much more media attention was given to Haiti and the tsunami and even the Pakistan earthquake of 2005? Should we leave these children to die?” asked Anwar Ahmad Kitan, vice president of IR-USA fund development. IR-USA is an independent non-governmental organization that is focused on helping the world’s most impoverished people.

Kitan gave a presentation on Pakistan floods at the fundraiser. “One of the brothers said to me, these people are already at the lowest level of poverty, now they’re on the roof top of hell,” Kitan said.  UN Security-General Ban Ki-moon says the floods are the worst natural disaster he has ever witnessed. Ki-moon asked for $460 million in emergency relief. Almost one-fifth of the land in Pakistan was underwater at one time. According to IR-USA, more than 17 million people have been affected; six million have been left homeless, and 1.7 million acres of farmland and more than one million homes were destroyed.

Life for Relief and Development (LIFE) Community Relations Coordinator, Ayman Aburahma, said death rates will continue to exceed 2,000 as more bodies are found underwater. Death rates will also rise if victims do not get the medical treatment needed to fight off diseases from the floods’ contaminated waters. Aburahma said pregnant women and those breast feeding are at greater risk for contracting diseases from the contaminated water. Kitan said during Ramadan victims of the disaster were breaking their fast on dirty contaminated water. He was in Pakistan more than two weeks ago.  “I asked this man, why are you putting poisonous water in that water container and going to give it to people? He said, ‘We have nothing else to eat or drink.’ I asked this woman, why are you bathing your new born baby in poisonous water? The woman said, ‘I have nothing else,'” Kitan said. Eight million people are at risk for contracting more diseases from the contaminated water, according to Kitan.  Aburahma and Kitan say conditions will only get worse for victims of the flood as winter draws near. “It’s really cold in the winter, people need proper clothing. It will get worse in more regions,” Aburahma said. Victims of the flood have lost everything including their savings, money, gold, loved ones, photos and documents according to Aburahma. “Businesses have been washed away, many people don’t have banks, they have lost everything,” Kitan said.

IR-USA has 10 offices in Pakistan and warehouses all across it. In efforts to help victims of the flood, IR-USA has increased its appeal to $6 million, assisted more than 100,000 victims, distributed food, water, tents, hygiene kits, other emergency supplies and coordinated a $23 million shipment of medicine and medical supplies to Pakistan.  It continues to manage camps that house thousands of victims. LIFE has been on the ground in Pakistan for several weeks providing relief to victims of the disaster by distributing food, tents and blankets. LIFE is also operating a medical camp to provide treatment to the sick and injured. “I have worked for Islamic Relief for 17 years and I have never seen anything like this. Now is the time. Will you help us in continuing to support them?” Kitan pleaded.

To help the millions affected by the poisonous waters of the Pakistan floods make a donation to Life for Relief and Development by visiting www.lifeusa.org, or Islamic Relief-USA at www.islamicreliefUSA.org  To donate to the Muslim Unity Center call 248.857.9200.