Food distributions facilitated by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) have fanned out across Pakistan's flood zone as WFP continues to battle against bad weather, devastated infrastructure and the enormous scale of need.

Distributions in Punjab and Sindh have been scaling up since starting at the weekend, while deliveries in Balochistan started on Monday. This is in addition to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province where deliveries have been ongoing since August 1. Hardest hit areas and communities are being prioritised wherever possible.

The obstacles in WFP's way continue to be massive. With such a large number of roads and bridges washed away, many areas remain accessible only by helicopter, including a large part of the north and several locations in Punjab and Sindh. Trucks are being forced to take long detours to reach many distributions sites, causing delays and longer turnaround times before they can be loaded with further food supplies.

"We're putting the final pieces in place on a distribution system which can reach the huge number of people in need in the shortest possible time," said WFP Pakistan Country Director Wolfgang Herbinger. "It's a huge challenge, particularly in Sindh, where the delivery infrastructure is most constrained."

"We have assessments completed in most of the country so we know where needs are, we have NGO partners to do the distributions, and - at least for now - a steady supply of food leaving our warehouses," Herbinger said.

WFP expects its food distributions to have reached one million people with a one-month food ration on Tuesday. Although the needs are massive, with at least six million people in need of assistance, the Red Crescent Society, government, local authorities, businesses and private individuals, are all part of the effort to fill the food gap.

Helicopters are the only viable means to reach many areas which have been cut off, and WFP is in the process of moving three heavy-lift choppers to Pakistan to boost the ten that have already been made available by the Pakistan government. In many areas of the Swat Valley, people have devised local solutions, picking up food from distribution sites and taking it home on their shoulders across sections where roads have been washed away. In the mountainous Shangla district, mules have been made available to help people get food home.

In a bid to ensure a continuous supply of food to victims of the flooding, WFP has set up new logistics hubs and warehouse facilities in both Multan (Punjab) and Sukkur (Sindh) provinces. WFP currently has enough food stocks for a first round of distributions but will need significant additional donor support to continue deliveries in September. WFP has so far received just over US$30 million towards its US$150 million operation for the next three months.

"Food, trucks, helicopters and manpower - it all costs money. We are making a very urgent and direct appeal to the international community to redouble their support to our efforts to assist the people of Pakistan," said Herbinger.

Source: WFP