A Catholic foundation in Pakistan has begun distributing relief packages to families displaced by devastating monsoon floods that have killed nearly 1,000 people and affected more than six million since late June.
Michelle Chaudhry, president of the Cecil & Iris Chaudhry Foundation, said the disaster has wiped out homes, crops, and livestock across wide swaths of the country.
“The extent of the destruction is indescribable,” she told Fides News Agency, adding that in some areas, “the water level is now gradually receding, but thousands of people are stranded and do not know where to go.”
Chaudhry said the livelihood of the people has been affected, and homes have been destroyed. “Their hardship is enormous, and this is just the beginning. We must think about the future. We must help millions of people get back on their feet after they have lost everything,” she said.
The foundation has started an assistance program in Punjab province, where villages and towns remain underwater.
“We want to contribute to helping the suffering people,” Chaudhry said, stressing that “millions of people have been affected by the torrential monsoon rains and floods.”
“As Christians, we feel called to roll up our sleeves and show our solidarity,” she added.
Initial outreach has reached about 75 families around Kartarpur in Narowal district, who received dry food, medicines, drinking water, clothing, and hygiene items.
Chaudhry described the intervention as “a drop in the ocean, but it is something.” She expressed gratitude to benefactors and supporters who made it possible for the organization “to reach the most affected families and show them that we care.”
“At this time, humanitarian aid is a source of comfort for them and a way to demonstrate our care,” she said.
According to Fides, nearly 2.5 million people remain displaced, many seeking refuge in government-run camps or with host families.
With vast areas of Punjab province—the “breadbasket of Pakistan”—still inundated, experts warn of lasting impacts on food security for more than five million people.
