Ontario provides $1 million in relief efforts for flood-hit Pakistan
The government of Ontario has announced that it will donate an additional $800,000 towards relief efforts for flood-affected areas in Pakistan.
Aid will be given to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent societies, two organizations currently on the ground in the country's worst hit areas.
Over 14 million people are affected by the floods, according to the United Nations; of these, more than 1,300 people have been lost to the floods, while an estimated six million are currently displaced, without adequate food and water supply. Over 300,000 houses are known to have been damaged or destroyed.
"The monsoon flooding in Pakistan is a humanitarian tragedy, and the thoughts and prayers of all Ontarians are with the people of Pakistan," said provincial Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Dr. Eric Hoskins. "As the need continues to grow, the Government of Ontario is responding with an increased donation. These funds will help ensure that the millions of people affected by the floods will receive the vital care they need in this time of hardship."
The late July floods are the greatest Pakistan has seen in the last 80 years. Flooding began in Pakistan's Baluchistan province, spreading into the Khyber, Punjab and Sindh provinces, taking the country's largest city of Karachi in its wake.
With the aid announced on Aug. 12, Ontario's donations to flood victims in Pakistan reach a total of $1 million.