Pakistan flood volunteer: 'It was like there was no happiness in the village'

Health experts are reporting a surge in dengue, malaria and severe gastric infections

Recent flooding in Pakistan "completely crushed" homes and left people digging for possessions buried several feet deep, an aid volunteer has said.

Waqar Hussain, from Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, travelled to the country with charity organisation Action For Humanity.

He visited a village in the Dera Ismail Khan district and said: "It was like there was no happiness in the village."

Around 33 million people have been affected by the flash flooding.

It came in the Monsoon season over the last month which has left almost 1,400 people dead and millions homeless.

Pakistan's National Disaster Management Agency said that included more than 400 children, with at least $10bn (£8.5bn) of damage has been caused.

It has had a devastating impact on the communities in the Balochistan, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces.

Mr Hussain, who is one of several British people to travel to Pakistan to help, said around 90% of the homes in the village he visited had been "significantly destroyed".

"This same area was affected by the last floods in 2010, but this one was three times as worse," he added.

He said people need food, water buckets, kitchen equipment and mosquito nets, plus other essentials.

Pakistan has declared a state of emergency as health officials warn of a looming health crisis

Haris Saleem, chairman of Worcester Muslim Welfare Association, which has been raising money to help survivors, said the situation was only getting worse.

The country has declared a state of emergency as health officials warn of a looming health crisis. with cases of dengue fever and gastric infections rising.

"The situation in Pakistan is still very bad, after the floods have all gone, diseases will be present due to a lack of clean drinking water," Mr Saleem said.

"These people have lost absolutely everything, it's a very difficult and hard time for them."

The association was accepting donations online for those directly affected, he said.

"We've already raised £15,000 online in two weeks, but we're hoping people will continue donating financially until things settle down," Mr Saleem added.

Other organisations in the local area are calling for donations of clothing and food.

Charities are trying to help those affected in the country

Other organisations in the local area are calling for donations of clothing and food.

Imran Hameed, who runs Bearded Broz, a community group running a 24-hour food emergency food bank in Smethwick, said the poorest people had been affected.

"The floods have hit the very vulnerable," he said.

"These are not rich people, these are poor people who have lost everything in their lives.

"I spoke to someone who has lost two goats - to them this is the bread and butter of their entire livelihoods and how they feed their family,"

Mr Hameed said his organisation had already received a number of clothing donations over the past month, but people still needed food and more temporary shelter, such as tents and sleeping bags.

"People are already doing a lot, but a lot more needs to be done," he added.

"We need to see some long-term action," he said.