KARACHI, PAKISTAN, September 1, 2020 — Baitulmaal, a Dallas-based international humanitarian organization, is currently providing emergency relief in Karachi and Sujawal, Pakistan, in response to record-level flooding.
Karachi has been hit with the worst torrential rains in 89 years. Villages in Sujawal that Baitulmaal donors have adopted for humanitarian assistance were also flooded. Water levels reaching as high as waist-deep have pushed people to flee to higher ground.
Baitulmaal field workers helped evacuate people in the Gulberg Town part of Karachi, and are providing hot meals, water, hygiene kits and food packages to flood survivors. In addition, Baitulmaal field workers are providing clean drinking water to affected areas in Karachi like Yousuf Goth and Abdullah Town. They are also using trucks to deliver food and supplies to people who were unable to evacuate.
Baitulmaal Programs Manager Elizabeth Sohail said that her team’s efforts will not end when the rain ends.
“We will continue distributing food and clean water over the next couple of weeks,” said Sohail. “We are evaluating the ongoing situation and will determine our next steps to prepare for continued rising water, expected illnesses from exposure to contaminated water and needed repairs in the villages.”
Sohail said that anyone interested in helping with the emergency aid efforts in Pakistan can donate online at baitulmaal.org/help4pakistan.
Baitulmaal is an international humanitarian aid organization that provides life-saving, life-sustaining and life-enriching aid to people in need around the world. With headquarters in Dallas, the charity has offices in Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit and New Jersey as well as international offices in Jordan, Kenya, Somalia and Pakistan.
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Corrections: In the original update, it was erroneously stated that Baitulmaal field workers evacuated the villages of Ranta and Jati when it should have stated that Baitulmaal field workers helped evacuate people in the Gulberg Town part of Karachi. The update also stated that Baitulmaal field workers used boats to reach flood survivors with food and supplies when it should have stated that they used trucks. While village evacuation and boats are part of Baitulmaal’s contingency planning, they have not yet been utilized. We apologize for the errors.