KARACHI: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said on Tuesday it was working to fast-track releasing a “significant relief and rehabilitation package” to support people, livelihoods, and infrastructure hit by recent floods in Pakistan.
The Asian lender’s new relief package will be in addition to a $3 million grant approved in August this year to support emergency relief efforts amid widespread floods.
Monsoon rains that began in mid-June across Pakistan have triggered flash floods, landslides, and glacial lake outbursts, killing 1,559 people across the country and affecting more than 33 million. The deluge has also destroyed 13,000 kilometers road network and around two million houses and 374 bridges, according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
Pakistani experts estimated the country will require more than $12 billion to rebuild damaged infrastructure alone. The planning minister has put flood damages at at least $30 billion.
“The bank is working on the relief package on a fast-track basis and more details would be shared after finalization of the package,” Mohammad Ismail Khan, a communications officer for the ADB mission in Pakistan, told Arab News.
“The bank plans to work with government and other international agencies in close coordination to help rebuild the lives and livelihoods of the people affected by the floods.”
In a statement on Tuesday, the Asian lender said the new relief packaged will “support people, livelihoods, and infrastructure immediately and in the long-term.”
"Short- & medium-term, we’ll use ongoing projects to: repair damaged infrastructure, including roads and irrigation infrastructure, [and] support the development & financial stability of the agriculture sector to boost food security," the statement said.
“We’re also processing countercyclical support to help the poor and vulnerable, especially women and children, weather the impacts of food prices and other external shocks,” the statement added. “Long-term, we’ll prioritize projects that support post-flood reconstruction and strengthen climate and disaster resilience.”
Pakistan has identified several priority needs, including food security, agriculture and livestock, health, water, sanitation, hygiene, shelter, and nonfood items, according to the ADB.
