5 Million Pakistanis in Need of Aid

Posted November 26th, 2011 at 4:50 am (UTC-5)
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United Nations aid agencies said Friday more than 5 million Pakistanis are in need of humanitarian assistance following the floods earlier this year. The U.N. said half of those in need are children.

A UNICEF spokesperson said a lack of safe water and malnutrition are the most urgent risks to children. The malnutrition rate in the affected areas was high before the floods.

A World Food Program spokesperson said the agency has distributed food rations to almost 3 million people, but needs $70 million to continue its efforts.

A U.N. and Pakistani government joint assessment found the people requiring the humanitarian aid are mainly concentrated in the Sindh and Baluchistan provinces.

The floods that began in August destroyed or damaged almost 800,000 homes. Nearly 750,000 people were still displaced at the end of October.