The Catholic Church in Pakistan has mobilized emergency aid as torrential monsoon rains continue to batter the country, leaving hundreds dead and thousands displaced.
“We are deeply saddened by the suffering caused by the severe floods. The Church stands with the affected families with prayers and actions,” Archbishop Benny Mario Travas, President of Caritas Pakistan, told the Vatican’s Fides News Agency.
The prelate said Caritas Pakistan has launched relief programs, “and we ask all our faithful, local and international partners for their continued support.”
Authorities in Karachi declared a state of emergency after heavy rains submerged neighborhoods, killing at least seven people and damaging homes, roads, and infrastructure. Fresh flood warnings have been issued in the southern province of Sindh.
Amid the devastation, Caritas Pakistan is deploying aid workers across multiple regions, adding that it is “mobilizing emergency aid in various flood-affected areas.”
“Our teams are on the ground assessing needs and providing food, shelter, and medical supplies,” said Amjad Gulzar, Executive Director of Caritas Pakistan.
Relief teams are coordinating with local authorities to reach isolated areas, conducting assessments, and maintaining direct contact with affected communities to ensure that aid is delivered where it is most needed.
Caritas said it aims to assist 2,500 families — about 17,500 people — through food parcels, hygiene kits, and safe drinking water.
It has drawn up plans to assist 2,500 flood-affected families, or about 17,500 people, through the distribution of food parcels, hygiene kits, and drinking water, of which 250 have already been provided.
The organization has also established 15 free medical camps to treat common flood-related illnesses and is supplying shelter kits to families who lost their homes.
Gulzar said that “hygienic education is being provided to prevent epidemics.”
Particular attention is being given to communities in Buner district, one of the worst-hit areas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
“Caritas teams are prioritizing isolated and inaccessible communities, particularly through mobile health units, to provide basic health care, prevent disease, and deliver vital humanitarian assistance,” said Gulzar.
He urged donors, partners, and civil society groups to join forces in responding to the crisis, stressing that immediate aid is vital to save lives, protect families, and restore dignity to those affected.
Since late June, heavy monsoon rains have swept through Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces.
As of August 23, the National Disaster Management Authority reported more than 750 deaths and 1,500 injuries nationwide.
Floodwaters have damaged 461 kilometers of roads, 152 bridges, around 2,000 homes completely, and 4,000 more partially, while killing over 1,100 animals.
In mid-August, Buner district alone recorded more than 400 deaths, including at least 30 children, with over 150 still missing. Authorities warned that severe weather conditions are expected to continue into early September.
