This mission report describes the rapid environmental assessment (REA) undertaken by a United Nations Disasters Assessment Coordination (UNDAC) team following flooding in Pakistan in 2010.

Heavy rainfall, flash floods and riverine floods devastated large parts of Pakistan in mid July/early August 2010, affecting some 20 million people. Following a request from the OCHA Country Office, an Environmental Task Force Team prepared a Rapid Environmental Assessment (REA), to identify environmental hazards posing potentially acute risks to human health and livelihoods caused by the massive floods. Particular focus was on the possible flooding of oil depots and storage sites of obsolete pesticides which might affect drinking water and cause soil contamination posing immediate health threats and further exacerbating early recovery.

The following issues were identified as potential urgent matters, requiring attention by the Pakistani authorities: water quality, given pollution of surface and groundwater due to chemicals and bacteria; slope stability; wider pollution through oil and chemical spills; the flooding of pesticides storages; disaster waste. Also for the authorities’ consideration were the affects of the floods on livestock, and the resource and energy pressure that would result from the reconstruction of houses.

Consult the report here.