Much more needs to be done on floods

Floods have been wreaking havoc in various parts of the world.  Thousands of people across Australia’s southeast were asked to evacuate their homes, including some in a western suburb of Melbourne, after two days of incessant rains triggered flash flooding and fast-moving waters burst river banks.

A major flooding emergency was declared in Victoria — Australia’s second-most populous state — where rapidly rising waters forced evacuations in the Melbourne suburb of Maribyrnong. Cars left on the streets of the suburb were almost completely swallowed by the floods, while some stranded residents had to be saved by inflatable rescue boats.

Eight people died after flash floods hit a river in India’s eastern state of West Bengal early this month in the latest incident of heavy seasonal rain causing havoc in South Asia.

The heavy monsoon rains in mid-June in Pakistan sparked unprecedented floods. The flooding, which experts say is made worse by climate change, has killed 1,719 people and affected 33 million since mid-June. The waters have damaged or washed away 2 million homes.

The scene is no different in Africa. The floods in Nigeria are the nation’s worst in more than a decade after killing more than 600 people and forcing 1.3 million to flee their homes. Above-average rainfall and devastating flooding have affected 5 million people this year in 19 countries across West and Central Africa, according to a new UN World Food Programme situation report. In Chad, the nation’s government this week declared a state of emergency after floods affected more than a million people there.

The disaster has now worsened the fate of this Central African nation already going through a food crisis. In neighbouring Niger authorities say at least 192 people have died there as the result of storms, either from homes collapsing or from drowning in floodwaters.

Tens of thousands have also been displaced by the floods in the Maradi and Zinder regions, with many homes and farmlands damaged.

It is a similar tale in Cameroon where floodwaters have caused significant damage in the northern region, destroying crops and houses. Heavy rain in northern, northeastern and central Thailand recently worsened severe flooding in many parts of the country, as authorities ordered the release of water into already overflowing rivers from dams that were filled to capacity. Among the areas hit by flooding were Chiang Mai, a large city and tourist centre in the north, and Sukhothai, an ancient capital and archaeological site that draws many visitors.

Even as extreme weather and climate disasters are multiplying, half of countries lack the advanced early warning systems needed to save lives, the United Nations warned. Proper early warning systems for floods, droughts, heatwaves, storms or other disasters allow for planning to minimise adverse impact.

The UAE is sparing no effort to help the distressed in various parts of the globe. It has sent a plane carrying 30.6 tonnes of food to areas affected by recent floods in Chad, including the capital, N’Djamena, to meet the needs of more than 442,000 people, especially the elderly, women, and children.

It’s not just Chad, but it has been extending a helping hand to those hit by floods in other countries as well, including Sudan, Malaysia and Pakistan.

The UAE has been sending tonnes of food and relief supplies for those in Pakistan.

An air bridge has also been operated to transport humanitarian aid provided by the UAE to the country. The relief aid includes shelter materials, humanitarian needs, food and medical parcels for those affected by torrential rain and floods. It speaks volumes for the generosity of the nation’s leadership, which is always there to help the needy and distressed. When it comes to charity and humanitarian assistance, the UAE is miles ahead of other countries.