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Notes from the Field
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A ray of hope for rescue
Posted by: Jon Thompson on August 10, 2010 at 10:19AM EST

By Umaz Jalal, security manager for CARE in Pakistan.

August 5, 2010

On the eve of August 4, I was tasked to deliver a convoy carrying relief goods to flood-affected areas of Pakistan. We started our journey for the distribution point at a little past 7:00 p.m.

As usual, we communicated the departure to the security unit and the field staff. The convoy traveled through the Grand Trunk Road as the motorway was badly damaged in the recent floods. When we reached Nowshera (in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan), we were told by the police that the Grand Trunk Road was also blocked by the floods and we had to take a detour to get to our final destination -- the city of Mardan.

Our convoy was going slowly when I could saw the reflection of water on both sides of the road. I asked if we were still crossing the Kabal River. To my shock, the driver told me, "It’s not the river; it’s the flood water that we are passing."

I remembered that there were lots of small towns on both sides of Grand Trunk Road, which use to be full of life even at night time.

While crossing a small village, which was badly affected by the rain and floods close to 3:00 a.m., no life was present as far as eye could see. Then, I saw a woman who was undergoing labor pains and in need of urgent medical help, being carried by a girl and old man towards the nearest hospital.

I asked the driver to stop the vehicle so I could ask the old man if he needed any help. He told me that they have been walking for two hours trying to take his daughter to the hospital in Mardan as the all medical facilities in Nowshera were damaged by the floods. We told them that we were headed to Marden, which was 17 Kilometers away, and would drop them at the hospital.

The condition of the woman looked serious, but she safely reached hospital and was provided medical care.

After that, our convoy reached Mardan and all of the relief goods we were carrying were distributed.

Read more about the floods and CARE's relief efforts in Pakistan >

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