Since my arrival from UK on Sunday morning, I have been working on the grounds of Nowshera where tents are being arranged by Islamic Relief for the hundreds of families displaced from their homes due to torrential flood waters. Minutes after my arrival today at the camp site, I was faced with the first of many tragic stories. Twelve year old Kaiynaat who along with her two elder sisters, one year old brother, parents and grandmother have all been displaced from her family home. She recalls being woken up by her mother as the flood waters hit during the middle of the night. They evacuated their home, leaving behind the majority of their possessions.

 

The family then faced a gruelling walk with waters up to their necks and had to seek shelter in a near by home of another struggling family. The following day they walked a further 10km to then reach the government college of technology, where the local authorities have set up a tent site to accommodate for the over whelming number of victims. Kaiynaat’s fathers Rickshaw, his only source of income, has been swept away by the waters.

 

The family have been saving for their elder daughters wedding, and sadly all the savings and jewellery for the wedding have washed away. The parents have gone back to their family home to see what remains of their belongings. In the mean time Kaiynaat, the grandmother and her siblings have now been wearing the same clothes for 6 days. Her one year old brother has not had milk and the family have not had clean water or food. But thanks to Islamic Relief, who have provided them with a tent, Kaiynaat’s family have temporary shelter. Kaiynaat said to me ‘’Not sure what my father will do now, the future looks very dark’’.
 

This is just one of many moving stories of the devastating flood victims.