Multiple countries hit by disasters

People in the Namentenga region of Burkina Faso use a canoe to make their way across floodwaters.

A number of countries around the world are experiencing emergencies that are affecting communities and families.

Plan has a long-term presence in many of these countries, and is working to assess and respond as required.

Below is a short overview of some of these emergencies.

You can support Plan’s emergency response work around the world by donating to the Children in Crisis Fund.

Pakistan

Plan is working to help people affected by the record floods in Pakistan in the Southern Punjab areas of Rajanpur, Muzafargarh and Layyah. 

Local authorities have set up 17 emergency shelter camps in Rajanpur and 22 in Layyah – with an average of 60 to 70 families in each camp. Plan is providing bottled water, dry milk, rations and cooked meals to 3000 families. Child protection is a priority, and field staff are working alongside local teams to assess the emotional distress of people affected.

About 27,000 people are still stranded without aid and there are now further threats of flooding in previously unaffected areas.

Plan is working closely with health officials to monitor and address disease, and is considering setting up mobile health camps in Layyah. Currently, Plan is assembling 9000 health and hygiene family kits for distribution.

Plan-assisted communities in Chakwal, Vehari and Islamabad have been unaffected. No sponsored children or their families have been impacted at this stage. We will provide updates on the main page of the website as more news on the impact of the flooding becomes available.

Plan urgently needs $US5 million to address the immediate needs of children and their communities in Pakistan. Donate to the Children in Crisis Fund now.

Learn more about Plan’s work in Pakistan.

China

Weeks of heavy rain in July caused some of the worst flooding ever experienced in central and south-western China.

Nearly 129 million people have been affected across all the flooded areas, with about 1000 deaths so far recorded.

Plan is responding in Southern Shaan’xi Province in collaboration with key partner, Shaan’xi Women’s Federation. Plans include: emergency relief materials to meet immediate needs, preparing for children to return to school, and appropriate psychosocial support for children.

Find out more about Plan's work in china.

Donate to the Children in Crisis Fund.

Niger

Emergency food aid is getting through to needy people, including malnourished children, in Niger. As part of the second round of food drops, Plan bought 2500 tonnes of maize to help some of the worst affected families and began distributing in mid-July.

Along with a 1000-tonne acquisition from the World Food Programme, Plan had supported more than 200,000 people in Tillaberi and Dosso districts at the end of July. The food was brought in by trucks from neighbouring Benin.

But there are many families still struggling. According to the UN, about 7 million people are suffering from severe or moderate food insecurity, almost 50 per cent of the population. Some children aren’t going to school because they are too hungry.

Plan will continue to provide food relief wherever possible.

Learn more about Plan’s work in Niger.

Donate to the Children in Crisis Fund.

Burkina Faso

Thousands of people were left homeless in the remote central northern region of the West African country of Burkina Faso after dams burst along the Niger River following torrential rains last week.

Plan is set to launch a relief operation, including providing food, water and shelter, as well as medicine and mobile latrines.

"There's definitely a risk of cholera because there are areas that are still inaccessible and which we can't reach to help people," says Plan Burkina Faso's Francoise Kabore.

"These people have lost their homes but cannot move anywhere because of the water."

Eight people have died while survivors have fled to higher ground with whatever they could salvage from their swamped homes. Families have been seeking shelter in schools where possible while awaiting tents.

"We're putting particular emphasis on clean water, hygiene and sanitation in order to prevent diseases with epidemic potential," says Ms Kabore.

Learn more about Plan’s work in Burkina Faso.

Donate to the Children in Crisis Fund.

Sudan

Torrential rains in Sudan have resulted in at least 100 deaths and 200,000 people displaced as the Nile and other seasonal rivers burst their banks in more than eight states.

More rain has been forecast over the coming weeks, with fears that as many as 2.4 million people across 16 states could be affected.

Plan is working closely with the Sudanese Government and NGO networks to respond quickly.

Plan’s initial response includes food, water, shelter and mosquito nets, along with plans to repair damaged schools and return children to education as soon as possible.

Learn more about Plan’s work in Sudan.

Donate to the Children in Crisis Fund.

Peru

Plan is providing emergency supplies to thousands of children and pregnant women who are suffering from a cold snap that has already caused the deaths of more than 200 people from pneumonia.

Temperatures recently plummeted as low as -24C° in some areas, far below the July average.

Plan programme units in Cusco and Lima have been badly affected.

Plan Peru is providing warm clothing, blankets and other essential items to 8000 young children and pregnant women in the Cusco area.

Plan is also supporting local health services with nebulisers for inhaling medication and oxygen.

Find out more about Plan’s work in Peru.

Donate to the Children in Crisis Fund

Cameroon

Plan staff are moving quickly to help people affected by cholera in Cameroon as the outbreak spreads.

More than 1000 cases have resulted in 106 deaths as heavy rain and landslides have swamped homes in the north of the country, resulting in damaged sanitation services and contaminated water supplies.

Plan staff are joining the relief effort with cholera prevention training and support for the over-stretched health service.

“We're very concerned about the rapidly spreading cholera epidemic in Cameroon,” says Plan's Stefanie Conrad. "The epidemic is hitting one of the most vulnerable areas of the country where 70 per cent of the population have no access to latrines.

“Our main concern is to support the regional coordination of the response to the epidemic, to reach communities with information on how to prevent the disease and to identify, refer and treat critical cases."

Find out more about Plan's work in Cameroon

Donate to the Children in Crisis Fund

Media information:

For media enquiries about any of the above stories, contact:

David Cook
Media Officer
Plan International Australia
Mobile: 0448 816 900
Email: david.cook@plan.org.au