Pakistan is still recovering from the devastating effects of last year’s floods, which impacted 33 million people. The country is once again experiencing flash floods and landslides caused by heavy monsoon rains, leading to loss of life and the destruction of homes, crops, infrastructure and businesses.

The Aga Khan Agency for Habitat (AKAH) has been working in Pakistan since 1998 to save lives, reduce suffering and create resilience in communities prone to human-made and natural disasters. It has trained 36,000 volunteers from high-risk regions in community emergency response. Since 20 July, these volunteers have evacuated over 860 people from vulnerable areas in Chitral, Mansehra, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan. They are providing an immediate response, supplying tents, tarpaulins and blankets from pre-positioned stockpiles.

AKAH is collaborating with local governments and the Gilgit Baltistan Disaster Management Authority to meet essential needs in flood-affected communities.

AKAH’s disaster assessment response teams are also assessing disaster-hit villages to design and develop recovery and rehabilitation programmes. However, the restoration of critical infrastructure remains a significant challenge and extensive resources will be required for effective rehabilitation.