emergency response

The 2011 drought across the Horn of Africa was, in some places, the worst to hit the region for 60 years. Three countries were hit by the drought: Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia.

A year has passed since the first news reports alerted the world to unnaturally heavy monsoon rains in Pakistan’s north-western province of Kyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), a region already ravaged

Four months of violence, looting and displacement have created a humanitarian crisis which will take months and perhaps years to ease Oxfam said today.

The monsoon floods that began in Pakistan in July 2010 caused a colossal disaster, affecting between 18 - 20 million people.

Silvia Mancilla, Spokesperson of Oxfam Mexico said:

The international community urgently needs to inject more funds and effort to stem a spiraling crisis in flood-hit Pakistan. A new United Nations appeal for funds will be issued on Friday.

One month after the floods first reached disastrous levels in Pakistan, the waters continue to rise. Many areas are still cut off and millions of people are in desperate need of immediate help. Reconstruction efforts must begin immediately to avoid devastating long-term consequences for the country.

The floods that have engulfed Pakistan over the last week are a mega disaster and the world needs to mount a mega response to ensure the millions affected get the help they need, international aid agency Oxfam said today as it called for a “gear shift” in the response to the crisis.

A second Oxfam relief team has delivered supplies to 2,000 earthquake survivors in Qinghai. In addition, Oxfam will also be helping with public hygiene information campaigns and is flying in 600 tents.

Oxfam Hong Kong has distributed blankets for 2,000 survivors of the earthquake in a temporary camp in Yushu County, Qinghai. Yet, about 20,000 people are living in this camp, and the needs are urgent.